How Bad Do You Want It?
by downbythebay
Summary: Now Comoplete! Miracle AU or PUParallel Universe I think. Herb drags a reluctant daughter around with the hockey team, with interesting consequences. You read, please review, please I don't get enough attention at home!
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Hi everyone! Yes, this is my Miracle fic. I just loved the story so much, I couln't help but spice it up a bit. I hope it's not half bad, dispite the fact that it's unorigional and probably a Mary Sue, so if you don't like it talk to me we'll work something out.

* * *

Nicolette Brooks sat with her father in the waiting of the A.H.A building. She was reading a magazine and her father was drawing up hockey plays in his notebook when Walter Bush came out of the Conference room. That's when her father got up and gave her a slight pat on the leg. 

"I'll be right back, Nikki," he said. She rolled her eyes at him and huffed in frustration. She had no idea why she had to be here, she was nineteen there were a million different things she could be doing right now, other than waiting for her dad to get our of some stupid hockey meeting. Living at home was a pesky little problem. If you didn't humor your parents, they made you pay rent.

She wasn't fond of her looks at all, but her mother was blond and her father had dark hair, so what did she get, this horrible, thin, light auburn hair. No, she didn't understand it either. More over her mother had wanted her to have her father's eyes, so she wound up with the same blue, deep-set, almond-shaped eyes, magnified by her horn-rimmed glasses, having inherited his near-sightedness as well.

An hour later she still didn't know why she had to be there for this. Somewhere inside she understood what her father wanted most was an apprentice. He wanted to be able to come home from practice or a big game and discuss why things played out the way they had. Hockey was his whole life, and he wanted to have a family who understood what it meant to him.

"You ready to go?" he inquired as he emerged from the conference room, looking a little let down. She nodded graciously and followed him out to the car.

* * *

"Boy it's really coming down outside," Herb began as he opened the door. 

"Hey, how'd the meeting go," Patti Brooks inquired of her husband and eldest daughter as they entered the house.

"Aww, I'm not their guy," herb replied, going to the kitchen to set his stuff down. He went into the fridge as he continued. "The only reason they had me go out there was because two other coaches already said no." He looked at the door of the pantry.

"What's this?" he asked.

"Come on Herb it's a costume party," Patti Brooks pleaded with her husband. "Nick and Nora Charles, the thin man."

"I'm not wearing that," he protested.

"Daddy you have to," Nicolette begged. "Please, daddy please!"

"They're dashing," Patti continued. "I've got a mustache for you and a little dog for me." She went off into frantic barking.

"Mom," Nikki laughed. "That has to be the craziest thing I've ever seen."

* * *

In the middle of the party that night, the Brooks Home received a call from the USOC. Herb got the job, coaching the Olympic ice hockey team. He called Nicolette into his office; she was still dressed up like Pippy Long Stockings with a wire in her braids. 

"Nicolette," he started with a crafty looking smile.

"Uh-oh," she breathed immediately. Nothing good ever came of a conversation that started with 'Nicolette.'

"I got the job," he said with a wide smile.

"That's great dad," she proceeded with caution. "What's the catch?"

"Guess who's my new hire?" he answered.

"Oh, dad, please, no," she begged.

"You're my new liaison to the hockey team," he told her. "That means you get to know the team, and if there's any big problems you come see me."

"Oh dad, I can't spend all my time running around with a bunch of smelly hockey players," she protested.

"Well you're not in school, what else were you planning to do?"

"Not in school yet," she reminded him. "I'm taking a break year before college."

"You'll have fun," he insisted. "You may even start to like hockey."

"Dad!" She started up. "I won't ever like hockey. If you want someone to discus plays with, call Coach Patrick. Please, just leave me alone!"

"This isn't up for discussion young lady," he returned.

So instead of joining the Peace Corp, or working with disabled children at the local schools during the majority of her break year, she would be traveling...with a hockey team. Something was just screaming to her that this would be the break year from hell.

* * *

The first day of Olympic ice hockey boot camp, Nikki was sitting in the top-box-area looking thing, to her estimation, and he began trying to explain everything that was going on with the players below. 

"Now see number 14 there is off-sides," Herb explained to his extremely bored daughter. "Because he's between—"

"Dad, I played soccer as a kid," she droned. "I know what off-sides is. Now please don't make me hate you and let me get back to my book."

"Wait, wait a minute," Coach Brooks urged. "Take a look at this guy Mark Johnson; he's easily one of the best skaters out there." She looked out onto the ice and humored her father with a nod.

"He's very good," she answered. "Very fluid; he's make a very good figure skater. You don't think there's any chance of him wanting to be my partner for ice dance is there?"

"I'd say slim to none," her father answered, as Assistant Coach Craig Patrick entered the room.

"Hi, Nikki," he greeted her. She waved at him as she spun around on her swivel chair. "So Doc cleared him, he says it's Just a sprain."

"That's good," Coach Brooks answered, looking down at a piece of paper.

"I just wanted you to know how much I'm looking forward to coaching with you," Craig continued.

"You were one hell of a player, Craig," Herb admitted. "You're gonna make one hell of a Coach."

"Argh! Gag me with a spoon!" Nicolette yelled as she spun around on her chair. Herb shot her a stern look. "Shutting up." Herb handed Craig a piece of paper.

"What's this?" He asked.

"Twenty-six names," Herb answered. "The tough part's going to be getting it down to twenty before opening ceremony."

"This is the final roster," Craig gaped. "You're kidding me, right? This is our first day, Herb. We've got a week of this. You're missing some of the best players."

"I'm not looking for the best players, Craig, I'm looking for the right ones," Herb answered.

"You've Jim Craig to back up Steve Janaszak?"

"Other way around."

"Jimmy Craig's a looker," Nicolette said, only to be ignored by the two coaches.

"Other way around? I'm sorry; didn't Janaszak just win you a Junior National Championship?"

"Jannie is solid goal keeper, but we're not playing for the Junior National Championship."

"You know people I've talked to say Craig's game had been off since his mom died."

"Did they ever see him when his game was on?"

"Jimmy Craig's mom died," Nikki gasped, looking up from her reclined position. She looked at her father and her eyes narrowed. "Did we send flowers?"

"NICOLETTE MARIE!" Her father reprimanded her for her sarcasm on such a serious matter.

"Sorry," she said uneasily.

"Please just keep quiet for a while," Herb ordered.

"Sorry," she continued and began to swing herself around on the chair once more.

"What about the advisory staff," Craig continued. "Aren't they supposed to have a say in this?"

"I guess technically," Herb continued.

"My daddy's in trouble," Nikki cooed. There was a loud clan and an audible 'Oof' as Nicolette's chair flipped over.

* * *

Nicolette was standing at the top of the stairs as Coach Patrick began to read off the twenty-six names of the players her father wanted on the team. Even though she wasn't familiar with many of the young men her father had wanted, she was able to recognize which face in the crowd the name belonged to. The guy would immediately loosen up and look around the crowd of young men. And then the last name: 

"Eruzione. And that's the roster for now. The rest of you thanks for coming out." The Majority of the boys got up and walked out crest fallen. The remaining hockey players began greeting one another. She was somewhat agitated to find Robbie McClanahan among them. She immediately found her intense hatred of him boiling to the surface before:

"Take a good look around boys," Hearing her father's voice surprised even her as the coach came down the stairs. "Cause they're the one's getting off easy. We're putting a few of you on reserve, in case someone gets injured or their game goes to hell. The final roster will have twenty names on it, so more of you are going home. Give ninety-nine percent; you'll make my job very, very easy. I'll be your coach; I won't be your friend. That's my daughter Nicolette...she won't be your friend either, so if you need one of those you can talk to Doc or Coach Patrick."

"Congratulations," Craig's voice carried as Nicolette and Coach Brooks started out to the car. "Before you go pick up one of these. You've got a little homework to do...before you celebrate."

"Nikki!" She heard Robbie calling after her. She huffed in annoyance. "Nikki!"

"Dad, I'll catch up with you," she said, turning back to Robbie. "What do you want?"

"A bunch of us are going to O'Reilly's tonight to celebrate, you want to come?" He asked.

"Robert McClanahan," she shot. "I am nineteen, I cannot drink, and I also hate you, why on earth would I go to a bar with you? Why on earth would you ask me to go to a bar with you...unless you intend to have the whole hockey team gang rape me, but that can't be it because I have been told numerous times by you that I was an—what was that word again—ugly freak?" He looked at her momentarily stuned.

"Did you just call me Robert?" he gaped.

"Yes I did, I'm that mad," she shot at him.

"Nikki, what if I'm just trying to burry the hatchet," he insisted. "I just want to say sorry for whatever you think I did to hurt you."

"What I _think_ you did. Suddenly I'm a deranged psychopath that imagines college hockey players dumping buckets of cold water on my head, whipping off the ice and into the stands, and calling me ugly names to my face?"

"No, that's not it," he insisted. "I'm sorry about the shower and the name calling...I just want to be friends?" His eyes lit up slightly, what a look, he thought he could twirl her around his little finger, but unfortunately for him, her immense hatred had expanded with time, and she was in no mood for his typical antics.

"Yea right," she said marching off. Her father was waiting in the car for her, looking slightly exasperated.

"What's the matter?" she asked.

"I just had a talk with Walter," he answered. "He doesn't seem to like the way I'm doing things. What did Robbie have to say?"

"He wanted me to come to a bar with the team," she said in disgust.

"You should go," her father said. Her jaw dropped to the floor.

"Dad," she said. "You want me to go to a bar with a bunch of college guys? Have you no concern for my well being...physical and mental."

"Of course I do," he answered. "And every single one of those boys knows if you come home hurt or hung over, their hockey dreams fly out the window. You can drink soda, you can get to know the boys you'll have a good time."

"No I won't," she insisted. "Daddy, don't make me go, please."

"Go," he insisted.

"I want to talk to Mommy," she protested. "This isn't fair."

"I'm not saying that you have to go," Herb started. "I'm just saying it would make me very happy for you to socialize with the players."

"You socialize with the players," she shot. He gave her s stern look.

"Ok," she said in defeat. "I forfeit. I'll go." At this point she began to wonder what would be more painful: going to the bar, or smothering herself in her pillow.

* * *

A/N: Sounding a little familiar to some of you. In all fairness this idea probably sprun into the heads of every boy crazy teen aged girl to see the movie. I'll continue for one supportive review. 


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Sorry guys, there was some sort of bug keeping me from logging in, or this would have been up earlier. I was so happy from all the reviews I got after one day. I'm glad you all like my story so far. Keep your fingers crossed that it won't start heading down hill. Drill's the same as before, though I may have to slow down soon because school's starting. So anyway here's chapter two. Hope you all enjoy.

* * *

As Nikki walked into the room she staked out the two general areas of hockey players. The Minnesota table was near the back of the room, and the Massachusetts table was off to the right. Reason told her to go sit with her fellow Minnesotans, but of course Robbie would be sitting with them, and she was ready to avoid him at all costs.

"Hi," she started uneasily going over to the Boston table. "Can I sit here?"

"Hey, it's mini-Herb," a dark haired boy laughed. Nicolette hugged her arms around herself uneasily.

"Yea, sit down," the guy closest to her got up to let her in. He looked a little older than the others perhaps. "I'm Mike Eruzione, Rizzo, whatever, it doesn't matter, I don't really care. There's Dave Silk, Ralph Cox, and Jack O'Callahan."

"Nikki," she said with a slight wave.

"So, why aren't you over with you're boys from Minnesota?" Silk questioned as she sat down.

"I'm not a big fan of a couple of the guys from the U," she answered.

"Like who?" Cox inquired.

"Robbie McClanahan for one," she said, and then paused. "Actually that's it; I don't really know the rest of them."

"I like this girl. You want a drink?" Jack asked passing over the dregs of the pitcher of beer.

"I'm nineteen," she started uneasily as she stepped over by the empty chair.

"And..." he questioned.

"I can't drink yet," she continued.

"And she's not getting it any ways," Ralph added intercepting the pitcher and emptying it in his glass.

"I'll get you a soda," Rizzo offered, getting up.

"Oh thank you so much," she started going into her wallet.

"Naw, it's on me," he offered. "Just pass it on to your dad."

"That you buy his daughter drinks," she laughed. "You obviously don't realize what kind of reaction that will get from him." He gave her a playful knock on the head and went off.

"Is he always this nice?" She asked his teammates quietly.

"Only until you get to know him," Silk answered. "Then, watch yourself, sister, yikes." The way his said it drew a few laughs from around the table, like a suggestive inside joke.

"What are you working on?" She asked leaning over to see what he was pouring over.

"Some stupid psychology test you're old man gave us," he answered in frustration. "This is ridiculous."

"Oh," she said. "He gave me one once, I went through and circled B for every answer. He came back and told me that I was a Sociopath, and I wanted to kill him."

"What?" they all laughed, as Rizzo returned with her drink. She took it nodding in thanks and explained as he sat down.

"There was a question: _'If forced to choose between the following, who would you rather kill: A.) Your mother; B.) Your father; or C.) Yourself. _I didn't even read the question, I just put B."

"I haven't come to that one yet," Dave said flipping through the booklet.

"Put C," she said. "It's supposed to be how you relate yourself to authority."

"So I'm going to kill myself because my parents are better than me?" he stated in confusion. "I mean listen to this: '_You're stopped by a police man, but you know you're not at fault do you state your disagreement right away?' _He's got three hundred of these things.

"It's just a test Silky," Rizzo said. "You've taken one or two before."

"Not to play hockey I haven't," he answered.

"Can you even read Silky?" Cox asked. There was a round of laughter.

"I try," he answered.

Nicolette saw Robbie walk in with that Mark Johnson guy her father had showed her earlier. She sunk down in her seat, and sort of stuck her head under the table.

"What are you doing?" Ralph asked in confusion.

"I think there's things under there you don't want to see," Mike warned.

"Like Coxie's feet," Dave interjected; laughter.

"Hey Rizzo!" Robbie called, waving over to them.

"Mac," he answered with a smile. He turned back to a fuming O'Callahan. "Easy big guy," he urged in a calming voice.

"I don't know how you two can stand be in the same room as that clown," O.C. shot in agitation, as Nikki came out from under the table.

"Talk about it," She said uneasily.

"Let it go, it's over," Mike urged. "Let it go."

"What's going on here," Ralph questioned.

"O.C.'s got a little unfinished business over there," Silk replied.

"Not for long I don't," Jack shot back.

"Hey. What I tell you, man," Rizzo started; then mouthed: "Let it go."

"McClanahan," Cox started. "You're not still going on about the '76 play offs are you?"

"What happened at the '76 play offs," Nicolette questioned curiously. _'I should know this,'_ she told herself. _'I was there.'_

"Come on O.C. that was like three years ago," Cox continued.

"Let me ask you something Coxie," O.C. started. "Why'd you want to play college hockey."

"Isn't it obvious," Cox said, wiggling his eyebrows humorously at Nicolette. "For the girls." She forced an uncomfortable chuckle as every one laughed.

"I'm serious Coxie," Jack demanded. "Why'd you want to play college hockey?"

"Because I love to play hockey," he answered. "I wanted to go to the NHL, just like everybody does."

"Well I wanted to win a National Championship," O.C. shot. "And that pansy over there cheap shots me; I get knocked out of the game. He steals the ring right off my finger. How would you feel?"

"Everyone was throwing cheap shots that night," Rizzo started up.

"You know it's funny that you say that Rizzo," Jack snapped. Nicolette was afraid for a moment he would jump up and take a shot at him. "Because I was just wondering whose side you were on."

"I'm on your side," Rizzo insisted.

"You know it really seems that way," O.C. shot. "I'm not doing this now. I'm out of here."

"Where you going?" Rizzo called after him as he got up.

"To my room," Jack shot back. "Is that okay with you, Mother?"

"Jezz, no wonder the guy gets so many penalty minutes, right," Ralph started trying to break the nervous tension.

"Some time he gets a little carried away," Silk added, he was staring at her a moment before she noticed.

"What is it," she asked him nervously.

"You have...um," he motioned to the back of her head. "Gum in your hair."

"Oh gross," she started reaching back for her pony tail.

"Lemme see," he urged, pulling her hair slightly.

"Ow! Ow ow," she yelped as he yanked the gum out of her hair.

"Sorry," he said with a slight laugh. "Yea, no more ducking under the tables for you, mini-Herbie."

"Talk about it," she said.

"What's your problem with Mac anyway?" Ralph asked. "I mean if you're not going to go off like that." He motioned to where Jack had walked out.

"No," she said. "He just gave me a lot of snot when he was on my dad's college team is all."

"Like what kind of snot?" Silk inquired in confusion.

"During hockey boot camp," she started. "I guess a year or two ago, my dad brought me to these eight hour day practices. I always brought my figure skates; I'm a pretty good figure skater. While we were eating lunch on the first day, he took these poor kids' lunches and put peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in my skates. When I came back to the girl's locker I slipped them on and got all than junk in-between my toes and everything, it was really gross." The guys tried acting compassionate for a minute before bursting out laughing.

"The next day while I was in the shower, he and some other guys took my clothes and my towel, and poured freezing water over my head. I was in there screaming for my daddy for half an hour, before he realized my underwear was being passed around in the locker room."

"That's pretty harsh," Silk said. "But also extremely funny, I'm sorry." He burst out laughing.

"Oh yes, it's funny until some one gets hurt isn't it," she said. "Then it's hilarious." Dave put an arm around her.

"Yes this is my new best friend," he stated mirthfully.

* * *

If Nicolette had thought she could have avoided Robbie for the duration of the evening, her hopes were ill-founded. He came over an hour or so later, and plopped down at the end of the table.

"Hey," he started. "So this is where you've been hiding."

"Robbie, can you please go away," Nicolette urged. "I really don't want to talk to you."

"Why don't you come over and say hello to the rest of the guys," he urged.

"Look, maybe I don't wan to be all buddy-buddy with the rest of the hockey team," she snapped. "Maybe I don't even like hockey, maybe I don't even like you."

"This is about the underwear isn't it," he said insightfully. "Would it help to say I'm sorry, and that I've matured since then."

"No!" She yelled. "I would help if you shut up and go away!"

"Wow," her three companions stared as he got up and walked away.

"Maybe you should give him a break," Ralph suggested at length.

"So O.C. over there's allowed to get mad at him, but I'm not right?" she returned.

"We all know O.C.'s a bitter jack ass, with or with out Mac over there egging him on, the guys just one big raging mass of testosterone. You don't have to be like that," Rizzo said. Nicolette huffed in annoyance and dropped her head.

"Since when have hockey players been insightful," she demanded.

"You call that insightful?" Silk questioned.


	3. Chapter 3

Sorry guys I just realized I had totally skipped this chapter when I was up dating more often, it got lost in my archives. I thought it was pretty good and I wanted to know what you all though. Again I's so so sorry this is out of order. But I really like this one.

* * *

Nikki sat on the bench with a few of the players as her father was running a break out play with the rest of the team. She was supremely disappointed that she had done her hair and make-up that morning, and came in to practice in one of her pretty little skating outfits, and now her father wouldn't let her out on the ice. She was just sitting there, freezing her butt off, but looking very good in the process.

"Johnson!" She heard her father yell. "That coast to coast stuff may work here, but it won't against the teams we'll be playing. Next."

"Morrow let be take this one," she perked up hearing O.C.'s voice and watched him go out onto the ice eyeing Robbie evilly. She stood up and leaned against the door. This was going get very interesting.

"This is a break out play gentlemen," her father called. "So please let's get rid of the puck early." He blew the whistle and the boys started off. The little black puck zoomed this way and that.

"Here! Here!" Rob called as Jack charged him, then. _THWACK! _Nicolette grimaced as Mac went down hard. It was slightly comical how he stayed there on all fours for a while collecting himself with his backside out.

"Whatcha hitting like that for O.C.," one of the boys asked.

"He didn't even have the puck," commented another.

"Nice hit O.C.," Dave Silk called from the bench.

"Tell your boy to keep his head up, next time he won't have to worry about it," Jack shot. Nicolette had to wonder vaguely what he meant by that. Robbie got to his feet and dropped his gloved.

"Come on lets go," he yelled in anger. She saw Craig move to go break things up, but her father stopped him.

"Let them go," he said. This got her pretty angry at this point, her father was going to stand by and allow those two behave like heathens. This was insane.

She hopped over the boards and got out onto the ice. The boys were shouting encouragement to Jack and Rob. Jimmy was out of his circle, and other boys were coming out to get a better view.

"Stop it!" she yelled to no avail. "Stop it right now!" And of course no one listens. She grabbed Rob around the waist as Jack pulled him into a head lock. "Please just break it up!" She pleaded as the continued to hit at each other. She tried to pry them apart, only to have to duck as O.C. swung a fist that sent Mac back down.

Mac got to his feet and charged O.C., this time they sandwiched her. Nicolette yelped in terror as the three of them went down hard. O.C. and Mac continued the scuffle as she tried to get out from under them. Now the other players were trying to pull them apart, and when they had both gotten up Nicolette was curled up in a fetal position with her arms covering her face.

"You okay," one of the players asked her; Buzz, that was his name. She peeked out from behind her hands.

"Is it safe to come out?" she asked as he leaned over to help her to her feet. He got her half way up when her feet slid out from under her and they both came crashing down again.

"Does that look like hockey to you," her father asked when Buzz finally got her upright again. "Looks more like a couple of monkeys trying to hump a football to me."

"Yea," Coach Patrick agreed.

"Felt like it too, Doc!" She moaned in pain, as her father continued to give the boys a pep talk about becoming a team, Doc humored her with a quick examination before telling her to walk it off.

"Let's start with some introductions," her father was saying. "You know who you are, where you're from." He looked over at Mac.

"Rob McClanahan. Saint Paul, Minnesota," he announced awkwardly.

"Who do you play for?" Coach Brooks asked.

"For you, here at the U," Mac answered, looking as confused as Nicolette felt.

"You knew that dad," she reminded him, fearing for a moment if her father may have been in the early stages of Alzheimer's or something.

"And over here?" he asked of O.C.

"Jack O'Callahan," he answered. "Charleston, Mass. Boston University."

"And here," her father pressed again.

"I'm Ralph Cox," replied Coxie. "And I'm from wherever's not gonna get me hit—" That drew a short burst of laughter from his teammates and coaches.

"Yea I bet it's nice there," Nicolette added dryly, which gained a few coy smiles from the players.

"And this is my daughter Nikki," Herb announced. "She's going to help us practice. Now everybody get on the goal line. We're doing wind sprints, the catch is, if Nikki here, in her cute little pink skating outfit, beats you back, we do it again."

All the boys wore confident grins as they lined up, but so did Nikki, because she new something they did not know. She was faster on the ice than she was on her own two feet. Coach Patrick blew the whistle and the games began.

On the way up she pulled ahead of most of the boys, with the exceptions of O.C., Mac, Silk, and Rizzo. She beat Silky and Mac to the boards when Mark Johnson pulled ahead of her. On the way back, Rizzo and O.C. just ran out of steam, until only Mark finished before her.

"Dang," she sighed hitting the boards. "I didn't see you coming." She gave him a congratulatory pat on the shoulder. "Think you can do it again?"

"Without a doubt," he said as they lined up again. The whistle blew, and this time there was no uncertainty about who would come in first. Mark pulled way ahead of everyone with Nicolette finishing the closed behind him.

"Damn it," O.C. hissed hitting the boards beside her.

"She's fast," Cox admitted between slight gasps. "Why is she so fast?"

"In figure skating," she said. "I have to be fast to build up momentum."

"For what?" Mac asked. She took off across the ice and entered a Salchow from a backwards cross over, and landed on a backwards glide on the outside edge of her right blade.

"Now, if I had my music, I'd show you the rest of my program," She said, "But I don't, so we have to keep skating." They were skating back and forth for almost an hour before some more scrimmages.

* * *

Nicolette followed her father to the boy's dorms that night.

"Dad," she questioned. "What are we doing here?"

"One of the boys didn't turn in their test," he explained as he knocked on the door.

"It probably stinks to high heaven in there," she moaned. "Why couldn't you coach tennis or something cultured like that? How about golf? You like golf."

"Hey, Jim," her father started, ignoring her completely. Her head shot up in attention.

"Hey Coach," Jim answered. "Nikki."

"Hi Jimmy," she replied with the sexiest smile she could manage at this point.

"Been wondering why you wouldn't take this test," Coach Brooks asked as his daughter started standing up on her toes.

"Yea...um...it's nothing against you or anything, but," He stopped a moment as Nikki grabbed his shoulder and tried peering into his room. "What are you doing?"

"Heel, Nikki," Herb ordered pulling her away.

"I just don't see what it has to do with stopping a puck," Jim finished, keeping a careful eye on Nikki.

"That's alright," Coach answered. "You just took it anyway." He turned to leave.

"Your eyes are so blue," Nikki stated dreamily, as her father grabbed her arm and pulled her away, leaving Jimmy standing in the doorway flabbergasted.

"Someone gets an 'F' in subtle," Nikki's father warned.

"Why should we have to hide the way we feel about each other," Nikki started looking back at the door.

"I think you're a little out of your mind," Herb reprimanded.

"No I'm not," she protested. "See look here he comes to confess his undying love to me."

"What?" Her father started turning around.

"Coach," Jimmy called, catching up to them. "So if I took it?" Herb cleared his throat and glared at his daughter.

"This is my cue to wait in the car, isn't it," she asked. Herb nodded. "Right, Bye-bye Jimmy, see you tomorrow."

"Has she had her head checked," Jimmy asked uneasily.

"You know what I meant to ask you." Herb inquired, "How's you're family been doing?"

"Alright," Jimmy answered.

"And you?"

"Okay."

"You know I've got twenty-six guys trying to make this team, Jim," Coach Brooks started. "Only twenty are going to make it to Lake Placid, so I got to know how committed you are to being here, because if your not, you're just wasting our time."

"Look Coach," Jim started. "My dad's going through a real rough time right now. He lost his job, and with Atlanta trying to sign me...Bottom line is, my mom wanted this, me playing on this team. Hard to say no to someone who drove you to practice everyday, right?"

"You didn't answer my question," herb pressed.

"I'm here aren't I," Jim answered.

"I'll see you in the morning Jim," Coach answered. "And don't forget to bring your game."

* * *

Nicolette was seated in the back of the car with Doc and Coach Patrick, waiting in line for gas. She was starting to wonder if maybe she had made the wrong choice in ditching practice for the day.

"So much hatred and fear," Doc sighed. She perked up with a light, "hmm?"

"Between the Soviets and the West," he explained. "Always these nuclear weapons pointing at each other. It's bound to end in disaster."

"Come on Doc," Craig urged. "They'll work it out, I mean they don't have any other choice right?"

"It seems that some people just never get along," Doc insisted.

"Like fathers and daughters," Nicolette put in, leaning over the seats.

"Like hockey players from Boston and Minnesota," Craig added.

"Our own private Cold War," Doc noted. They chuckled light heartedly.

"Doc, let me ask you something," Coach Patrick began. "You've known Herb a long time right?"

"I've known Herb quite some time, yes," Doc answered.

"I've known him all my life," interjected Nikki.

"Does he always treat his players like this," Craig pressed.

"No, this, I have never seen," Doc said, "But believe me Craig, Herb has a reason for everything he does."

"Well he's winding up with twenty players—"

"And a daughter—"

"That hate him," Coach Patrick finished.

"Well maybe if they hate him," Doc began. "They won't have time to hate each other. And you too back there, maybe you can stop hating hockey so much."

"Yea, right," she laughed. "How about when hell freezes over?"


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Well chapter two has gotten exactly one review as of 8:30 pm, on september 4, 2004. So our author-reader bargian standing here is chapter three. Enjoy!

**darkdestiney2000:** anytime.

* * *

Nicolette was sitting in her father's study as he went through a few film strips of hickey games. 

"Do I have to watch this?" she moaned.

"Yes, pay attention, you might learn something interesting," Herb told her sternly.

"Who are we rooting for anyway?" she asked. He gave her a look as Patti entered the room.

"How much longer are you two going to be in here?" She asked.

"Mommy save me!" Nikki begged.

"Herb," Patti reprimanded.

"We just got a few more," Herb assured her.

"You know Kelly has ballet at four tomorrow and Danny's done with soccer camp at around the same time, which one do you want to get?" Patti asked.

"I'll take Kelly to ballet," Nikki offered. "Maybe Sean'll be there."

"We've got team meetings after practice tomorrow," Coach Brooks put in. "And who is Sean?"

"This really cute guy who works at the studio," she answered quickly.

"What is wrong with you? Get out of here," Herb ordered.

"Night mom," she said, kissing her mother's cheek. She glared over at Herb. "Night Coach." She saluted him mockingly and went out.

"I can't be at two places at once, Herb."

"What about Margie?" he asked.

"They're on vacation."

"Well I don't know honey. You'll figure it out."

"Can you turn that off please," she started. "Please." He complied reluctantly.

"This is what happens during the summer Herb." Patti shot. "The kids are off doing a million different things and every once and a while your meetings are going to have to wait."

"Come on Patti," Herb started. "I'm coaching a hockey team here. We already talked about this."

"Oh really," she asked. "Because I don't recall being a part of the conversation. What did I say? Was it interesting? We never talked about this."

* * *

Nicolette could here her parents fighting through the bedroom walls. She couldn't understand how they could make such a big deal out of something as simple as a game of ice hockey, but the truth was, this was more than a game; to her father, to the boys, to Coach Patrick, and Doc. To Nikki, though, it was still a game where twenty boys push around a piece of rubber with a stick. 

She got to thinking that night. If hockey meant so much to so many people, there had to be more than three lines, two goals, a bunch of guys with sticks, and a piece of rubber. And if there was some hidden secret behind all that, she needed to know what it was.

* * *

"Blue line—back, red line—back, far blue line—back, far red line—back," Herb explained. "Get used to this drill boys, and girl, we're going to be doing it _a lot_. Why? Because, the legs feed the wolf, gentlemen. I can't promise you we'll be the best team at Lake Placid this February, but we will be the best conditioned." The whistle blew and they were off. 

"Be prepared to grow through pain gentlemen." He warned them. "You're going to skate harder than you've ever skated in your life every minute of every day you're on the ice with me.

"_What's your name?"_

"_Mark Johnson Coach," he answered._

"_Who do you play for?"_

"_University of Wisconsin, Coach."_

_

* * *

---The Next Day---_

"The fastest way to make this team is by being fast," Coach Brooks yelled as Nikki was running wind sprits with the boys. "Being fast means beating my daughter! I can guarantee you if we get some of the Soviets out here on the ice they'll be skating circles around her." Nicolette came to a halt.

"Thanks a lot dad," she shot back at him.

Her father blew the whistle in the middle of the next play; he looked angrily at a little huddle against the boards.

"Look at this," he yelled. "You've got four men being guarded by one guy. This isn't weaving for weaving's sake. Johnson line up."

"Come on guys," he encouraged as the offending players came back to the bench. "You can get this, talk to each other, spread out, this is easy stuff." Mac squirted his water in her direction. She squealed and jumped out of the way.

_

* * *

---The Next Day---_

Coach Patrick was helping Jim train. He bounced a tennis ball off the wall, and Jim had to catch them. Unfortunately the first ball went a bit too high flew over their heads and smacked Nikki in the face as she came out of her dad's office, from a very serious pep-talk on team ethics.

She had a Marsha moment (you know, "Ow! My nose!") And ran back into the office screaming: "I told you they were out to kill me!"

* * *

"Okay everyone," Nikki demanded coming into the lockers after practice. "I want your jerseys _right now, _I'm taking them home with me today, and washing them tonight, and they will be returned to you tomorrow..._clean_." 

"What if I like that my jersey smells?" O.C. protested.

"That's all well and good," she answered. "But all the masculine odor around here is going to make me pass out. Now, hand it over."

"No," he teased. Nikki planted her feet apart and put her hand out.

"_Jack O'Callahan! You give me that jersey **right now** or I will take it from you!"_

"Jesus," he started, pulling out his jersey. "Who do you think you are? My mother?" he teased, throwing it at her.

"No, I'm too pretty to be your mother," she returned.

"So you're my sister then," he taunted. "Is that it, baby sissy?"

"Yea that's right," she started indifferently, as the sweaters began to pile up in her arms, along with several other "Sissy" comments, that she brushed off in her own self importance.

She scrunched up her nose in disgust and tried to keep her face away from the pile in her arm when Les Auge came up behind her and grabbed a hand full of her rear end. She shrieked, throwing up her arms. Red, Blue, and gray jerseys flew everywhere as she ran from the room screaming: "I've been molested!"

Most of the boys looked to him in shock, as that had to be the most idiotic thing any of them could have ever done at this point.

* * *

The next morning, when the boys came into the locker room, Auge's locker had been emptied, and Nikki stood there with a smirk on her face, and a clean pile of hockey jerseys. And so the morning started off with Nicolette receiving a new nick-name. 

At practice Coach had them doing green seats, which was sitting up against the wall with out chairs. Nicolette was there as well, with one leg crossed over the other, reading a magazine.

"I think she's doing it wrong," Mac protested, grimacing with the strain in his thighs.

"There's no way," O.C. added the pain apparent in his voice. "She's a girl."

"So _that's_ why I have curves?" She jested looking up from her magazine. "You want to know my secret—ballet, I swear to God, three years of Pointe can do this to you."

"Yea right," Dave Silk put in.

"_Names Christian," he introduced himself._

"_Who do you play for?" Coach Brooks asked._

"_University of North Dakota," Dave Christian answered._

They were running plays again, as Nicolette sat on the bench trying to understand what was going on. At this point she was tired of being defiantly uninterested.

"Come on!" Her dad was yelling. "Pass it," Rizzo hit the ice with a _thunk_. "No. No! No! No! Come on Rizzo! You're quarterbacking this play. I got you running this play. The only thing you're going to run right now it the bench. Mac, get out here."

Nicolette handed off a water bottle as Rizzo sat down next to her.

"How do you put up with him?" She asked him quietly. Rizzo shrugged.

"It's nothing personal," he explained. "He just wants me to do better."

"Well," she answered. "In your position, I would literally be crying for my mommy." He smiled at her, what an assuring little sensitive smile he had.

"Where's your skates?" He asked in confusion, looking down at her bare feet. She pointed to the corner.

"They're two sizes too small," she said. "They started hurting my feet."

"How long have you had them?" he asked.

"I think I got them for my twelfth birthday, so, almost seven years." She saw his eyes widen a minute.

"Are those the peanut butter skates?" He asked. She nodded. "You're dad's a hockey coach, and you haven't had a new pair of skates in seven years."

"My dad's a hockey coach," she repeated. "And has three kids. New skates for the child perfectly capable of getting a job aren't a priority at this juncture in time." He nodded,

"When's your birthday?"

"November first," she answered. "Why?"

"I'm getting you a new pair of skates," he answered taking another swig of his water.

"You better not," she said with a bright smile. "I'll kill you."

"You'll kill me," he mocked.

"I'll spit in your water," she warned. He laughed,

"You'll spit in my water?"

"I'll wash your white jersey with reds. You'll have to skate around in a pink jersey, and all the Commies are going to be laughing in Russian: _'Ha ha, he wears pink. These Americans are girly-men'_."

"You'll make the Soviets laugh at me and my pink jersey," he answered.

"Yes," she pressed.

"Okay," he answered lightheartedly; he paused. "I'm still getting you skates."

"No!" She wailed with the happiest smile on her face.

* * *

"Boom, he can hit it. He can hit it. Boom. Boom. Boom." Herb explained the newest play whirling around in the chaos that had been his brain as of late. "We're opening up options. We've got four options off of one play. Any questions?" Silence. "Okay let's go." The boys stood in shock a minute, before: 

"What the hell is he talking about?" Buzz asked.

"No clue," Robbie answered. Nicolette paused a moment.

"Wait guys," she called. "I got this." She came over and pointed to the board. "This is you here Rammer, the rest of you get the puck to him. Buzz, Bah, and Pav go out here, here, and here. Now before you get there, skate around in circles and make it look complicated. Then Rammer can pass it here—in, pass it here—in, and here—in. Just like that."

"Oh," a couple of the boys sighed in understanding. "Good job Sissy," Coxie hit her on the back.

"Oh my God," she breathed in terror as they went out to the ice. "I'm turning into a hockey fan."

"_How about you?" Brooks asked._

"_Mark Pavelich," the boy answered._

"_Who do you play for?"_

"_UMD Bulldogs."_

The line consisting of Bah, Pav, and Buzz. Was out on the ice executing perfect passing and fluid skating, as Coaches Brooks and Patrick looked on. One. Two. Three. Goal.

"You three," Herb called. "Run that again."

"Again, okay." The boys nodded in agreement.


	5. Chapter 5

**Big long annoying Author's Note (but please read it anyway):**

Hi everyone. Please, please, please, please keep reviewing, because that's when I start writitng the really good stuff, this chapter's a little slow I think. I'm sorry if some of the characters are acting a little, well, out of character. For instance Buzz is being a little juvenile (was he really short, because I know Billy is, if you watch during the power walk before the game with the Soviets, he's about a foot shorter than everyone else,) and Herb is cracking jokes and things like that,but I think with an extra character things like that would change.

As for the length of my chapters, they may get shorter as school picks up, but for now I'm glad you enjoy, and I can't stress reviewing enough. Feed me ideas, comments, tell me what you like most, if I stop getting feedback, I'll stop writing. So I'm asking for 2 reviews before I post chapter 5. And if we get to 20 before chapter six, we'll see if we can work some sort of fuzzy romace out with one of the player or something, just start giving me ideas things you'd like to see.

* * *

Coach Patrick and Nicolette entered Coach's office. Herb was talking quietly to Jimmy. He got up a moment later. 

"Hey Sissy," he started, slapping Nikki lightly on the shoulder as he left the room.

"Sissy?" Herb questioned looking to his daughter.

"The guys started calling her that because...well, um," Coach Patrick looked over to Nicolette for help.

"Cause I'm a bossy little bitch," she finished in the most innocent tone possible. "Well anyway the Coneheads are coming in."

"Coneheads?" Herb asked again. "What is it with these nicknames?"

"Well the guys started calling them that because they're a little," Coach Patrick did a little "crazy whistle". "You know like the Coneheads."

"What's that?" Herb asked.

"Dan Akaroyd. Jane Curtin." Coach Patrick explained, "I guess that's off your radar." There was a soft knock at the door just then.

"Come in boys," Coach Brooks called to Bah, Pav, and Buzz.

"You wanted to see us coach," Bah asked.

"Yea," Herb began. "I was thinking about keeping the three of you on the same line. Everybody okay with that?"

"Yea, sure," the boys were agreeable.

"What about you Buzzy? How are things going here with Bah and Pav?" Coach asked.

"Things are going good," he answered thoughtfully. "We're moving the puck well; it's just a little different playing with them."

"Yea I don't know how to explain it," Bah admitted. "We seem to just find each other at the other end off the ice and make things happen."

"Pass, shot, score," Pave explained.

"Pass, shot—"

"And score," Buzz finished. The coaches gave each other looks as Nicolette crept up behind Buzz. She had her tongue stuck out in concentration as she gauged the difference in their heights. "Yea, I know I'm shorter than you," he said without turning around.

"But we still love you," she assured him with a big hug.

"Alright boys," Coach Brooks stated. "We'll see you next week."

"Bye Coach," they answered, exiting the office.

"Rest up," Coach Patrick called.

"Looks like we're taking a line of Coneheads to Europe," Herb mused, holding up the boys' pictures.

"If they can keep their legs under them," Coach Patrick answered. "Well, I'll see you next week."

"Is there something on your mind Craig?" Herb asked, "Or is that too far off my radar?"

"It's just I don't think you can push them this hard, not for six months," Craig protested. "They're tired, the whole team's tired."

"I know how hard to push 'em, Craig," Herb assured him.

"You sure?"

"You know why I had them take that test. To make sure I could push them this hard. See you next week Craig."

* * *

It was five months to Lake Placid; the team was in Norway, playing the Norwegian National Team, as it were. Nicolette stood next to her dad, wearing this horrible blue-gray pant-suite, which was not at all feminine as she would have liked it to be, behind a bench full of boys ogling at girls in the stands. 

"Hey Buzzy," Bah leaned over. "Look up there, two girls, blond." Buzz nodded with a smile on his face. She looked down at them.

"Hey," Verchota started up. "Twins, about seventh row up."

"Man they're gorgeous," Silk observed. Nicolette listened in, silently fuming, not aware that her father was watching as she took her glasses off and set them in her skating bag in the corner.

"Lovely blond girls," Bah said.

"Maybe we could talk a few home with us," Verchota remarked. "Must be something in the water." Nikki huffed audibly and pulled her hair out of its tight bun. _'What the hell do they think I am?' _She thought to herself in agitation, but she didn't realize Mike Eruzione had come to a complete stop, and was gawking at her as she shook her long hair out of her face, only to be plowed over by a Norwegian defenseman.

Coach Brooks slapped a hand to his forehead as Rizzo flew threw the air and hit the ice. When the whistle sounded the score board showed a tie at three.

"Get a whistle," Brooks snapped at Coach Patrick.

Nicolette pulled on her skates to go out on the ice for a little bit before the zamboni came out. The team was on their way off the ice when Coach Patrick intercepted them.

"Get back on the ice," he said.

"What for?" A few of the players protested.

"We'll find out when you get there won't we?" He answered. The team met Herb in the middle of the rink.

"You don't want to work during the game?" He shot angrily. "No problem, we'll work now. Goal line. That one." The boys lined up on the goal line, and Nicolette watched cautiously beside Doc as Craig blew the whistle and the players started off. Blue line, back. Red line and back. Far blue line and back. Far red line, back.

By the time they got back most were already out of breath, as Coach Brooks continued to yell at them.

"Hustle!" He ordered Jimmy and Steve, weighed down by the padding of the goalie uniforms. "You think you can win on talent alone. Gentlemen, you don't have enough talent to win on talent alone. Again!" Nicolette stood in shock as the whistle was blown and the boys started off again, when they had finished that set he continued to yell.

"You think you can play the Norwegian National team, and tie them, and go to the Olympic and win?" He hollered. "You better think about something else, every last one of you, when you put that jersey on you represent yourself and your team mates. And the name in the front is a helluva lot more important than the one on the back! Again!"

With another whistle Nikki grimaced boys were off again. Her father still wasn't done with them as they finished this set.

"Win, lose, or tie, you're gonna play like champions," he yelled. "Again."

"By then the boys were coughing and wheezing and hunched over with cramps, but they went off at the whistle. A few of them stumbled on the way back, but they all finished the set with a commentary from the coach.

"Kick it in the ass Verchota! You want to go home, Suter. All the way to the line and all the way back, it's not that difficult." He yelled as they came in, "What do you think you're doing, Nikki." He finally turned his sights on her. "Get out here."

"But I didn't do anything," she protested.

"_Not yet!_" He insisted, marching pointedly over. "Now get out here."

"Dad, this is insane," she insisted frantically.

Nicolette was well aware that her father had two settings: the Daddy setting, that was the one she liked, and the Coach setting. Right now he was set on homicidal coach. She was ready to do just about anything to stay off the ice with Homicidal-Herbie.

"No!' She screamed in protest, hugging onto the bench, as he tried to pull her out on the ice. He pried her away as she continued to scream. "Doc! Coach Pat! You better have a good lawyer; I am suing you for wrongful damages the minute we get back in the States. **Nonononono**!"

She kicked and flailed her arms indecently. The boys didn't waste precious breathing time on paying much attention, though, and she wouldn't have cared either way. He was forced to half-drag, half-carry her to the goal line.

"Again!" He ordered. Coach Patrick shook his head, and blew the whistle.

"Come on," Dave Christian urged her, as they went off. "Just one more." She tailed right behind him through this set, panting by the time got back to the goal line, her father yelled:

"Again!"

"Just one more," Dave Christian assured her, forcing a smile. "One more and we're out of here." This time she started coughing when they returned. Other players were falling over sputtering and weaving and she watched in horror as Mark Johnson fell down on all fours and vomited on the ice.

"Again!" Coach Brooks ordered insensitively. They went off into Nikki's third set. This was too much. They must have been speed skating for hours like this, and she was quite sure she wouldn't make it through the next set.

"Herb," Doc started, coming onto the ice. "The rink manager wants to clean the ice and then go home."

"Tell him to leave me the keys, I'll lock up," Herb instructed. "Again!" Craig gave him a look. "Again." The whistle blew and they were off again.

"If you keep playing this way, you won't ever beat anyone who's good, let alone great," Herb yelled.

"How does this apply to me again," Nicolette fumed, words broken and weakened with fatigue.

There was a loud click and the rink was plunged into almost absolute darkness. Some of the boys sighed in relief and began to disperse.

"Hey!" Brooks ordered. "Get back on that line." There were groans all around. "Again...Again." The whistle blew and they went off.

This time, Nicolette didn't make it back, half way through her knees gave out under her and she fell to the ice. Buzz Schneider had been so close behind her he didn't have time to maneuver around, and ran over her hand, and kicked her in the stomach. She screamed in pain and fear, pulling her arms and legs in as the rest of the skaters went by. Buzz slid to a halt and went back to check on her.

"What the hell do you think you're doing Buzz," he winced as Coach Brooks yelled. "Keep going."

"I hit her," he tried in vain to explain. "Her hand's bleeding."

"I said keep going," Coach yelled. The other boys watched helplessly as Buzz huffed and reluctantly finished the set as Doc came out on the ice.

Nicolette was crying in hurt, as Doc helped her off the ice. He sat her down on the bench and had her flex her fingers, as she drank some water, from a random water bottle.

"It's only a small cut," Doc assured her. "Nothing's broken. Just a little cut and a few bruises." Nicolette watched with growing resentment as her father ran them again and again. The boys were gagging and sweating and spitting up on the ice.

"Doc," Craig started. "This is madness right?"

"How about you Silky, you going to be the next to quit on me?" Coach taunted. "What about you, O.C., you ready to go down? I think I got my money on you Verchota, of course, you and Nikki have a double date in about an hour, but you're not looking to good for that right now, are you?"

The whistle blew and the boys went off again. Most of them fell at least once or twice in the process, gagging and spitting and retching as they went along dutifully.

"Herb," Doc called. "This has gone on long enough. Someone is going to be seriously hurt."

"Again!" Her father yelled relentlessly. This time Craig wouldn't blow the whistle. "Again." He looked over to Coach Patrick. "Send 'em."

"Mike Eruzione!" Everyone stopped, and looked over curiously to Rizzo, hunched over and in pain, just like everyone else. He spit to clear out his throat in order to continue. "Winthrop, Massachusetts."

"Who do you play for?" her father asked.

"I play for," he managed to choke out. "The United States of America."

"That's all gentlemen," Herb said, walking off the ice, as Doc, Craig and Nikki ran out onto the ice. Nikki went across the rink to Jannie and Jimmy, to help them get some of the pads off, so walking back wouldn't be such a strain.

She knelt down, her pants almost completely soaked at this point, as she went to unhook shin pads and collect sticks, which were handed off to Coach Patrick by the bench. Walking off the ice she had her right arm around Jimmy, her left arm around Jannie, and Silky had his arms thrown around her neck. She saw Wells hit the boards and flip over onto the bench, but his skate got caught.

"Jimmy can you get that for him," she asked.

"I would if my arms weren't numb," he groaned. "I swear I would."

"Okay, rotate," she instructed, turning so she could reach his foot.

"Thank you," he moaned, struggling up to go to the locker room.

After she had changed into dry clothes, Nikki came into the lockers and helped some of the boys get out of their pads and skates, but after that, they were in the shower, they were on their own.

O.C. came out of the shower with nothing but his boxers on. He rubbed his neck uncomfortably. He gave Nikki a pleading look: "Sissy?" He cooed with hopeful puppy dog eyes.

"Alright, sit down, I'll rub your back," she consented. He sat down on the bench with a triumphant grin plastered on his face. She massages his shoulders for a few minutes when Bill Baker came out of the shower.

"Hey Nikki," he started. "I got a kink down here, do you think you could—" She rolled her eyes.

"Right, Baker, sit down I'll get it," she answered.

* * *

And so the trend continued for at least an hour or so, when the flow of people from the shower had demised. So she sat talking with Mark (Johnson) as he packed his things up. 

_Robert Johnson went to the cross roads, so the legend goes_

_He left with his guitar, and the devil kept his soul._

"Feeling better?" She asked.

"Little bit," he replied. "Kinda tired though. I'll be sleeping on the plane."

"Me too," she said thoughtfully. There was a pause. "So, is it worth it?" She asked at length.

"Is what worth it?" He asked.

"All this," she said. "The pain, the hard work, if in the end if we could get the gold, will you be satisfied?"

_When I'm here on this highway, breathing diesel smoke  
_

_Driving hard for hours, trying to make that Memphis show_

He nodded. "I know I will," he assured her. "This is my dream."

"How do you find the strength to keep going like this, and putting up with everyone's shit," she questioned. "How do you all do it?"

_People always ask me, "Son what does it take?_

_To reach out and touch your dreams," to them I always say:_

"I don't know," he said. "I just keep that vision in my head, I guess, standing on that podium, watching the flag go up, hearing the Star Spangled Banner. That's what I want."

"I admire you, just so much, all of you," she admitted. "I know I could never do this."

_Are you hungry? Are you thirsty?_

_Is it a fire that burns you up inside?_

_How bad do you want it? How bad do you need it? _

_Are you eating, sleeping, dreaming with that one thing on your mind?_

_How bad do you want it? How bad do you need it?_

_Cause if you want it all you've got to lay it all out on the line_

"This is what we love," Mark explained. "We live to play hockey. We wake up in the morning, sleep through the alarm, head out the door, late for work again, forget a lunch, get mugged on the way home, play hockey—and it was not a bad day." She laughed.

"Well I don't understand it," she says. "But I'll accept it."

_I get to make my living doing what I love_

_Every night I give my heart and soul sometimes that ain't enough_

"You think you'll be let down when it's all over?" She asked. He shrugged.

"Probably, but I mean, I don't think I'll need counseling or anything like that," he answered. She laughed.

_But brother, if you're like me, looking down that road_

_Be careful of that wild wind, son sometimes it don't let go_

"Do you think we've really got a shot at this," she asked. "In your honest opinion, can we beat the Soviets?"

_Can you feel it? Can you taste it?_

_Can you hear it knocking at your door?_

"It would take a miracle[1]," he said with a sly grin.

_There's always a price you pay no matter what you do_

_If you're gonna climb that mountain to the top_

_It always comes down to_

"Can I ask you a stupid," question she said. "I just need to hear this from you right now.

"Go right ahead," he urged.

"How bad do you want to win this," she asked. "Would you do anything to beat the Soviets?"

_How bad do you want it? How bad do you need it?_

_Are you eating, sleeping, dreaming with that one thing on your mind?_

_How bad do you want it? How bad do you need it?_

_Cause if you want it all you've got to lay it all out on the line_

"Would I do anything?" He thought aloud biting his lip, "To beat the Soviets. Hmm, this is a tough one, give me a second."

_Robert Johnson[__2]__ went to the cross roads, so the legend goes_

_He left with his guitar..._

"I would sell my soul to beat the Soviets," he concluded.

_And the devil kept his soul. The devil took his soul_ [3]

It was just about then that Mike (Eruzione) emerged from the showers, clothed in boxers and a white shirt.

"Trying to drown yourself in there, Rizzo," Mark asked humorously.

"I don't know," he answered in a slight daze. "I actually think I fell asleep."

"In the shower?" They mused.

"I was **really** tired," he admitted with a slight laugh.

"I'm going to get my stuff on the bus," Mark said. "Do you need me to come back for anything?" Nikki shook her head.

"Okay Rizzo wear's it hurt?" Nikki asked.

"What?" He started in confusion.

"Come on, it hurts somewhere," she started, rubbing his shoulders lightly. "Everyone else got a back rub from me, so it wouldn't be fair if I didn't give you one."

"How about I put my pants on first," he joked lightheartedly.

"Sounds like a plan," she gave him a smile.

"How's your hand?" he questioned, pulling his pants and button up shirt on.

"It's perfectly fine," she assured. "Just a small cut. Buzzy's still a little upset, though. I suppose that's what I get for being the offspring of Herb Brooks."

"I don't think anyone blames you," he said. "They'd have to be insane, for a while you were right there with us."

"Damn it," she started.

"What?" he asked as though he was sure it was something important.

"I've been handing out massages for nothing," she jested.

"Let me see your hand," he urged. She held her left hand out; he traced the light scratch on her palm, then gave it a little kiss. "Better or worse?" He asked.

"Better," she said with a bright smile. He smiled as he went to put his tie on, that was really a great smile.

"Let me," she urged, taking his tie. "See if I can remember. Around, up, over, and through. Taadaa! Now, tell me, where's it hurt?"

"Here," he motioned to the nape of his neck. She smiled slyly and stood up on her toes to give him a little kiss there. "And here," he added, touching his temple lightly, and leaned over so she could give him a peck there. "Here," he continued, and touched his lips. She closed her eyes and kissed him gently on the lips.

"Better or worse?" She asked, looking up into his eyes.

"Perfect," he answered, leaning over to kiss her again and again and again. Kissing her lips, and eyes, and brow, like it there was nothing better in the world; like it was the most natural thing in the world. His hands moved from her face, to her arms, to her body through the intensity of it.

Nicolette had always worried that her first real kiss would have been hesitant in awkward, but now that it was actually happening she wasn't worried about anything at all. She had imagined moonlit walks, and romantic evenings, and thought about how anything else would be all wrong, but here she was in a locker room, kissing a hockey player who couldn't find the net. The rest of the world disappeared, and everything just fell perfectly into place.

* * *

Waiting on the bus most of the boys were pulled from private conversations by the declaration of: "Holy shit, you've got to be kidding me." They looked over to Mac, gazing out the window. 

"What is it?" Rammer asked. Jimmy Craig looked out the window for an answer.

"It's Nikki and Rizzo," he gaped. There was a chorus of _"What,"_ as the boys rushed over to see what was going on.

Nikki had her arm slipped around Mike; he had his hand on her back. She leaned against him as they walked to the bus.

"My dad is crazy," she admitted shyly.

"You don't have to tell me," he assured her.

"No, I actually think he may be a crazy person. I thought he was actually going to kill you back there, I was just waiting for someone to fall over dead, and I wasn't even sure it wasn't going to be me."

"He's not insane," he said giving her a slight hug. "He's just eccentric. And no one is going to die playing hockey; the A.H.A simply will not allow it. Can you imagine the news headline? _'Olympic Hockey Team Dies During Herbies'_." She smiled at his light-hearted tone of voice.

"How do you make me feel so good?" she asked.

"I don't know," he answered. "Apparently I have that effect on people." He gave her a slight kiss on the cheek, shoving his bag into the cargo space under the bus.

"I love it when you kiss me," she said. "Because I don't think about anything but keeping it in my head, to look back on later. Like for a moment you wish life had a rewind button, so you could live it again." She smiled that same sweet smile she loved.

"I am just going to smile and pretend I actually understood a word of what just came out of your mouth," he teased gently. She laughed.

"That's what happens when the Brookes try and get poetic," she cooed. As they got on the bus all the boys pointedly turned away.

"What's going on here?" Rizzo asked in perplexity.

"We weren't looking at anything," Pav returned. Bah gave him a dissatisfied look and hit him upside the head.

"Right," Rizzo observed as the coaches came on board, taking the front seats. "You want window seat?" He asked Nikki motioning to the pair of chairs behind the coaches. She nodded in thanks slipping in before him as the bus started for the airport.

Silk and O.C. watched from a few rows back.

"If coach finds out about this," O.C. said. "Our asses are his, you understand that right?"

"Do you think," Dave started leaning into the isle. "Buzzy!" he hissed, up to where Buzz sat behind Nicolette and Rizzo. "What are they doing?" Buzz peered up to where Mike and Nikki were seated.

"It's a little chilly in here," Nicolette observed. Rizzo pulled his jacket off and draped it around her.

"Here," he offered and flipped the hood up on her head, he laughed as it spiked up from where her pony tail was. "You look like a cone head."

"Do you mean my head is pointy, or I look like Bah and Pav and all?" Buzz's eyes narrowed. Would it have been that hard to say: Bah, Pav, and Buzz, no he was just 'and all.'

"He gave her his jacket," Buzzy murmured back to them, "And she's insulting me." He looked back to find them in mid-lip lock, his eyes bugged out slightly as he swung back around hissing: "They're kissing!"

"Well break it up," O.C. ordered. Buzz grimaced in apprehension for a minute before leaning up between the seats.

"Hey Rizzo, you got the time?" He asked quickly. Nicolette yelped in surprise as they pulled away from one another.

"Uh, no," Rizzo answered. "I don't have a watch."

"Oh, well, that's okay," he said. "Thanks anyway. You know Nikki if you want to kick your seat back and get some sleep go right ahead."

"I'm alright Buzz, thanks," she assured him as she leaned up against Mike and started to drift into sleep as it began to rain. Mike closed his eyes and set his head on top of hers. Buzz grimaced turning back to O.C. and Silky.

"They're sleeping," he whispered.

"Spill something on his pants," Silky instructed deviously.

"Yea, like what?" Buzz demanded in frustration, when Jannie tossed him a water bottle and gave him a thumbs up. "God he's going to murder me." Buzz started, unscrewing the top of the bottle, and with much reluctance, dumped it over Mike's head.

"**Jesus!**" Rizzo started up, waking Nicolette in the process. He glared at Buzz, water bottle in hand. "What is with you today?" He demanded in frustration.

"Devil made me do it," Buzz replied pointing back at Silk and O'Callahan.

"Devil needs to be more inconspicuous," Nikki said, not fond of being awakened from her nap.

"Or find better henchmen," Mike added, moving over next to Suter for a dry seat.

"Sorry," Buzz admitted. After things had settled back down, Herb got up and moved next to his daughter.

"You were sitting with Rizzo," Coach observed. "Why did he move? Did he say...or do something he shouldn't have?"

"Dad, you shouldn't sit there," she suggested.

"Can't I have a talk with my daughter?"

"The reason Mike moved, is that O.C. and Silky had Buzzy pour water on him," Nikki answered.

"Oh," Herb started, finally noticing the water soaking into his pants. "Alright then, if you need me I'm right here."

* * *

[1] Pun intended...heheheh...watch me laugh at my own joke. 

[2] No pun intended...or is it?

[3] _How Bad Do You Want It? _Written by Jim Collins and Bill Luther, Preformed by Tim McGraw © 2004 Warner-Tamerlane Publishing Corp./Make Shift Music. I do not profit, _get that through your head_.


	6. Chapter 6

**Another Author's Note that is too long but very important:**

Hello again. So you know I will try my very hardest to update everyday, so if you like my story check back as often as you like, but only updating twice today because I'm working ten hours tomorrow so I won't be able to. This is my big project right now, because no one likes my other stories.

Now I've gotten a suggestion for a second romance, but I need to know who. I think I can write O.C., Buzz, Mac, and Jimmy (leaning towards Jimmy or O.C....or Mark for Piper, and Piper if you read this, which I don't think you are reading my story anyway, you can just stop right now and get writng ok.) So if everybody wants a second romance you have to vote for your favorite now, and I'll get them in just after the Christmas party. I've already concocted a way to do so. {Smiles fiendishly eyeballing hockey team who cowers away in fear.} Or you can just tell me, "No bitch you can't have two of them!"

* * *

"Come on you Minnesotans," O.C. yelled over the falling rain, "My backs starting to hurt from carrying you all. Pretend you're pushing some cows." 

"Why don't you stop talking and start pushing, Boston Boy," Mac shot back. Nikki laughed and shook her head.

"I feel so retarded for wanting to do this," she admitted to Mike, who was leaning against the wheel next to her.

"I told you it wasn't going to be any fun," he joked with her

"I'm going to put it on my college application under disabilities," she admitted. "_'Wants to do stupid things like pushing planes in the freezing rain'._"

"With hockey players from Boston and Minnesota," he added.

"Well we were taxiing out to the run way," Herb explained to his wife over the phone. "And we sort-of hit a moose." There was a brief pause. "No, the moose is fine, but we got to make sure the plane is okay, so some of the boys are pushing it back so these guys can take a look at it." Another pause. "Patti the moose is fine, he ran off, I saw it."

At that point the boys (Ralph, O.C., Rammer, Mac, Rizzo, etc.) and Nikki returned from the runway.

"They said it'll be about an hour," Nikki told her dad before going back over to sit down, fully soaked now.

Nicolette was half asleep curled up on a bench with her head set in Rizzo's lap, as he was playing cards with some of the other boys who were still alert. At this point she knew for a fact that Mark Johnson and Jimmy Craig were totally out of it.

"You want to see what I have?" Rizzo asked her going to show her the cards.

"It doesn't really matter what you have," she protested. "Right now it looks like Bah has a straight flush." The boys groaned.

"She's a counter," Buzzy huffed setting his cards down.

"No," she answered, and pointed to the reflection of Bah's cards in the window.

They sat talking for a while, and at that point it had to be the weirdest thing to do something like this right now, in a crowed airport, but she couldn't help it.

"I love you," she mouthed very clearly to Rizzo.

"I love you, too," he cooed back to her, and feeling completely safe and comfortable at this point, she slipped into an easy sleep.

* * *

"Russian style of play boys," Herb provided commentary for the film he was showing the boys, who were sitting attentively in their long underwear. "Fluid, creative, forwards are constantly circling. They don't so much look for a man as they do a patch of ice. You get the mismatch, two on one, easy goal." Most of the boys "_ohh_ed" as an impressive goal was scored. 

"Looks kinda like me out there, huh, Buzz?" Bah asked receiving several laughs from the boys.

"Boris Mikhailov," Herb continued to explain. "Captain of the team. He is the best player in his position, including, as we've just found out, the NHL."

"Do these guys ever smile?" Baker asked.

"There Russians, they get shot if they smile," O.C. informed them; laughs.

"Vladislav Tretiak," Herb continued as the footage went to a goalie performing, some drill that looked like it would be giving him serious knee problems in the future. There were lots of '_woah_'s' going around. "If you score of Tretiak, keep the puck, 'cause it doesn't happen often."

Nicolette peered back at Jimmy. He was looking a little with drawn at this point, with a sense of brooding behind his eyes, betraying immediately to her, who had spent time getting to know the mannerisms of the team, that he was intimidated.

"Forty-two games in the last three months, forty two wins," Coach Brooks went on. "Their main weapon is intimidation, they know they're going to win, and so do their opponents." The film was switched off as he went on. "Look I can give you a load of crap about how you're a better team than they are, but that's just what it'd be. Everyone knows what they're saying about our chances; I know it, you know it. But I also know that there is a way to stay with this team."

Nicolette noticed that many of the players leaned forward in their seats, as if to say: _'Okay Herb, let's hear it.'_

"You don't defend them," Herb instructed drawing a big 'X' on the chalk board. "You **attack** them. You take their game, and you shove it right back in their face! NHL won't change their game, we will. The rest of the world is afraid of them, boys, we won't be. No one has ever worked hard enough to skate with the Soviet team for an entire game. Gentlemen, we are gonna work hard enough."

"Bravo daddy!" Nikki called from the back of the room.

* * *

Whistles were being blown left and right. Boys were flying around every which way, skating beyond the point of exhaustion. It was really something good to be a part of. Coach Brooks was doing everything he could to get these boys in the best shape of their lives. He had them doing wind sprints and suicides, they were skating in between pairs of gloves, anything to keep them going. 

"Pick up your knees boys!" Nikki could hear her father from the lobby.

"Keep your shoulders square. The legs feed the wolf."

"Push it boys, you've got to work," he ordered as the boys were running Herbies. What Nicolette found odd was, the amount of skating that had them throwing up on the ice weeks before was phasing them less and less everyday.

That day after practice Coach cut another player, bringing them ever closer to the final twenty boys.

* * *

"Come on, Jimmy," Herb prompted. "Stay with him." Here was an audible _'clank'_ as the puck hit the inside of the goal. 

"Damn it!" Jimmy shot in frustration.

* * *

The boys were running more and more suicides and sprints, Nikki was handing out water bottles on the bench listening to the boys talk. 

"How are your legs?" Mac asked O.C.

"I'll let you know when I can feel them," O.C. retorted. Nicolette smiled to herself; they seemed to have patched things up nicely.

After a brief water break the boys were shooting on goal again. This time Jimmy did so much better.

"Better," Coach started blowing the whistle. "Not great, but better."

Then came more wind sprints with a constant commentary: "You've got to have mental intensity, boys!"

That afternoon, Nikki and Jimmy were in the hallway, juggling tennis balls back and forth.

"So if the hockey thing doesn't work out," O.C. commented mockingly. "You two are going to run away and join the circus."

"You bet," Jimmy answered without ever breaking concentration. "It's going to be the Ringling Brothers, Jimmy, and Sissy."

"Nikki and Jimmy," Nicolette returned.

"Watch yourself," he warned chucking a tennis ball that hit her in the stomach. She yelped as he laughed light heartedly.

"Work boys, quick feet," they could hear her father even by the lockers.

* * *

It was now closing in on four months to Lake Placid, the roaster was currently at twenty-one. Mac ran through the showers, occupied by half clothed O.C., Rizzo, and Mark Johnson. 

"Got them," he laughed, handing Nikki's skates over to them.

"Perfect," O.C. started confidently. "She's gonna die."

"Herb is going to murder us for this," Mar assured them with an oddly pleasant smile on his face.

"Come on Mac," they could hear Nikki screaming. "I don't want to go in there! Please, just give me my skates. Come on. This isn't fair!"


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Okay, so we've pretty much narrowed the romance possibilities down to everyone. Seriously you need to review, or e-mail me with who you want to see cause I'm probably putting it in next chapter or so.

* * *

Nikki was sitting at the kitchen table with her father, brother, and sister. The lights were off as her mother came in with a cake complete with twenty flickering candles, when the singing started:

"_Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday—"_ The song was interrupted by the doorbell ringing.

"I'll get it," Nikki's father offered getting up. He opened the door to find several bright eyed hockey players standing there.

"Hi coach," Buzz started.

"Boys." Coach started in shock. "What are you doing at my house?"

"We just wanted to come by to wish Nikki a Happy Birthday," Rizzo answered quickly. "Are we interrupting something?"

"She was just about to blow out the candles," he answered.

"Oh, good we're just in time then," Jimmy started and he along with most of the other boys pushed their way into the house.

"Stop," Herb started to no avail. "You won't all fit in there." He grabbed Mac by his collar and pulled him back. "Aren't you supposed to be at practice with Coach Patrick?"

"Yea, but its okay," Mac assured him. "Rammer, Brots, and Morrow, Suter, Verchota, and Strobel, and a couple of the other guys stayed behind to run interference."

"Herb!" Patti called in distress. "What are they doing in my house?"

"Well I don't know, Patti," Herb returned. "Why don't we ask Nikki?"

"I don't what they're doing here," Nikki defended in between happy birthday bear hugs.

"Don't worry," Mark Johnson assured them. "We're just going to give her our present and then leave."

"You guys didn't have to get me anything," Nikki reprimanded them.

"Yea, we know," Coxie assured her setting the package down on the table. "But we did it anyway."

"Oh my God," she breathed, throwing off the lid off the box. She looked up at Rizzo in disbelief. "Oh my God I hate you." She started, up, pulling away tissue paper to reveal a brand new pair of sparkling tan figure skates.

Nikki sneered at him.

"You know I'm mad at you don't you," she shot evilly.

"What're you going to do about it," Rizzo teased. That was when she jumped up on him and wrapped her legs around his waist. He grunted slightly under her weight as she clung onto him. The boys all laughed, when Herb came into the room.

"Rizzo put my daughter down," he ordered.

"I can't," he protested holding his arms out as she clung around his neck.

"They're staying for cake," Nikki added

* * *

"Mommy!" Kelly yelped running into the kitchen, hours later, after much of the hockey traffic had dispersed. "Mommy, there's a hockey player sleeping on our couch, and I want to watch TV." 

"Okay sweetie, I'll take care of it," Patti assured her, setting down a pile of dishes in the sink. "Herb," she called smartly up the stairs. "How do you know a hockey team's been to your house?"

"I don't know." He replied coming down into the kitchen. "How?"

"There's no food," she began, opening the ice box, where it seemed nothing remained but a stick of butter and a box of baking soda. "There's nothing to drink...and they left someone behind."

"What?" Herb started curiously. Patti motioned out to the living room, were Mike Eruzione was stretched out with Nicolette resting on top of him; with the news report still flashing across the television, of a recap of the Soviet's latest domination on the ice.

"Rizzo!" Herb yelled. Both Mike and Nikki shot out of sleep.

"Yea, Coach," he started up in a slight daze.

"Get out of my house!" Herb ordered.

"Sorry coach, I guess I sort-of dozed off," he admitted, as he got up, still partially asleep, "Somewhere between losing the feeling in my right arm, and Mikhailov's second goal."

"That's wonderful, the door's that way," Herb replied, pointing.

"Bye Mike, drive safely," Nikki urged him, seeing him out to his car and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"Love you," he whispered with a smart smile. "See you tomorrow."

* * *

The next morning Nikki was out on the ice, breaking in her new skates as the boys were running plays on the other end of the ice. 

"Hit the tape boys," coach Brooks encouraged. "Passes come from the heart."

Half an hour later they came in to discuss some play the Conehead line had thought up.

"Say we want to stretch things out north and south," Herb started. "Take us through it. Bah."

"I'm going to be stretching D out and across," he started.

"Now we've got this open space here," Nikki put in, pointing. "What are we going to do with it?"

"I'm going to fill the open lane," Pav continued.

"And I'm gonna fill in for Pav's lane," Buzz finished.

"Alright, let's do it," Coach ordered leading the team onto the ice. As usual, the Coneheads were out there playing like they were from another planet. Pass, shoot, score as they had put it.

* * *

The boys were doing green seats down the hallway, passing weights back and forth, when Nikki came out of the bathroom. 

"Hey Sissy, if you're such hot stuff, get your but over here," O.C. ordered.

"Are you kidding?" She laughed, motioning to the weight being passed around like a hot potato. "I can't even lift that in an upright position." She went out onto the ice to skate some more while Jimmy was practicing.

"Don't let 'em have it Jimmy," Herb ordered. "Atta boy Jimmy; atta boy!" Nicolette got to practice her jumps and spins for a little while before all the boys came out for more wind sprints.

"Build your legs boys," her father encouraged. "You're not going to have anything left for the third quarter if you don't build your legs now." After that came more plays.

"Now what do we have here boys," Coach Brooks prompted.

"Options!" They replied in spirited union.

* * *

Craig observed the schedule as the boys came in from another long practice. 

"Herb, what's this? We're playing the Soviets three days before Lake Placid." He began.

"How 'bout that?" Herb started with a sly smile on his face.

"How 'bout that?" Craig repeated.

* * *

When Nicolette entered the lockers there were only a few boys left. Rizzo, O.C., Johnson, Jimmy, Bah, Mac, and Buzz. She smiled to herself thinking they'd be the most receptive to her mischief. 

"Guys, guys," Nikki started excitedly. "I just had _the best_ idea, for something fun to do tonight."

"What?" Bah started up.

"Let's pile into my pick up and go tip cows," she started with bright eyes shining. The boys started at her a minute before:

"Are you kidding?" O.C. stated in shock. "That has to be the stupidest thing I've ever heard."

"Yea, doesn't that, like, kill the cows," Johnson questioned.

"No they just get really pissed at you," Mac assured him.

"I don't want to murder any cows," Buzz protested.

"No one is going to be murdering any cows," Rizzo added.

"Come on," she urged. "If a bunch of us do it, it'll be fun, like an adventure, come on. It'd make me really, really happy."

"Are you crazy," Jimmy started. "Maybe you don't understand this because your Herb's daughter, but he would kill us...and then kick us off the team."

"You could tell him you thought it'd be good exercise," she said. "Put the blame on me. Please."

"How is tipping cows exercise?" Buzz asked in confusion.

"You don't push a cow over and then look at it..." Mac said. "You scream, and run like hell."

"Please guys, do this one thing for me and I'll love you forever," she said hopefully. "I promise we'll have fun. More fun than you'd have sitting up worrying about who's getting cut."

"I'd go if everyone else does," Rizzo stated, just to make her happy, her on the assumption that his fellow players weren't out of their minds.

"I don't think so," Mark said uneasily.

"I'll sleep with you," she started sarcastically.

"All in favor," Mac took a survey.

"Aye!" Was the euonymus vote.

"Great," Rizzo fumed slightly. Nikki laughed at him.

"Haha, now you have to come tip cows with me and I don't even have to sleep with you," she teased.

"You know if he's not getting it with you he's getting it from someone else," Jack warned her.

"Ack, no! My Rizzo!" She returned jumping onto his back.

"No, bad Nikki, down," he pleaded.

* * *

Nikki stopped the car outside the fence of a large farm. The headlights were off and there was no moon out. 

The majority of the boys climbed out of the truck bed as Nikki and Rizzo got out of the cab.

"Come on," Mac urged in a whisper, climbing over the fence. They followed him into a field with just a couple cows in it, and Mac, Nikki, and O.C. began to creep impishly up to a sleeping cow, and in one smooth, seemingly effortless motion the tree of them pushed her over.

The unfortunate victim woke on impact, and in turn startled the rest off the herd into a frenzy.

"Cow with horns," Buzz warned. Nikki looked over her shoulder to find an animal with and incredibly scary silhouette charging them.

"Bull," She started franticly. "Run!"

"Mac you idiot!" Johnson shot angrily as they ran for their dear lives. "You picked a field with a bull in it."

"What the hell were you thinking, Butch," O.C. shot at him. In the course of getting back to the car, Jimmy actually ran into another cow, who woke up more cows, who started a stampede. So there was more frantic running and screaming as the boys and Nikki tried to avoid being trampled and gored.

In the last leg of the race they all managed to clear the fence in one smooth motion and hop into the truck.

"Go go go!" Buzz yelled to Nikki in the driver's seat as she started the car and took off. Another mile down the rood they were laughing in excitement.

"That was insane," Jimmy started.

"I'm never doing that again," Mac swore.

"You Minnesotans are out of your mind," O.C. added.

"I thought I was going to have a heart attack," Rizzo put in.

"When Jimmy tripped over that cow though," Nikki continued. "That was really funny...for about the ten seconds it took for the stampede to start."

"That actually hurt, like a lot," Jimmy defended.

"Yea, that was just about the stupidest thing I've ever done," Mark added.

"But it was a lot of fun," Nikki put in, and they all nodded in agreement.


	8. Chapter 8

__

A/N: Welcome back ladies and...well, I actually assumed you were all chicks. Well anyway. I'm sort of leaning towards O.C. for a second romance, unless anyone really despises him that's probably where this is heading...then possibly into a triangle...or maybe not. I don't know how everyone would feel about a Rizzo/Nikki/? triangle. If anyone really has strong feelings about that let me know, otherwise I'm gonna say no.

* * *

Nikki entered the house to find her parents sitting at the kitchen table, her father was staring intently at a piece of paper and her mother was...accounting, or something along those lines she was sure.

"Hi mom, dad," she started.

"Oh, honey you're filthy," Patti began. "What where you doing?" Nikki shrugged.

"Nothing much," she assured. "Do we have food yet? I'm starved."

"Yes, I went shopping today," Patti started as Nikki sat down with a glass of milk.

"So how we doing dad?" she inquired. He seemed not to have heard her, and went on with studying his sheet of paper.

"Come on Rizzo, why can't you find the net?" He mumbled to himself, setting down the paper in frustration. "I don't want to cut this kid, he's done everything I've asked."

"You can't cut Rizzo!" Nikki protested anxiously. Herb looked at her in confusion.

"Since when has little miss anti-hockey been so concerned about who makes the team?" He asked.

"He deserves to be on the team," she insisted. "We both know it, you told me he was going to be the captain. I mean, if you cut him, who's going to be the captain?"

"Someone else I guess," he answered.

"But if you didn't chose them in the first place then they weren't good enough," she reminded him.

"Any one of these boys is good enough," Herb corrected her.

"Then why didn't we have twenty co-captains in the first place—second place—first place?"

"Because it doesn't work that way," he told her.

"Than make it work that way!" She yelled. "You've changed every other rule American Hockey has ever had. Why not this? Because he stood out; the boys can rally behind him, because he's kind, and he's hopeful, and he's a leader, and because he puts up with you and your bullshit. That's why you were going to make him the captain in the first place. He stands out, and not because he's the only Italian on this Irish monopolized team. In your heart you knew that, and if you're going to do this right daddy," her tone softened as she realized she had been screaming in the middle of the night. "Daddy, you just follow your heart, and you'll know what's best...for the team."

"Or for you?" he asked knowingly.

* * *

The next game the boys played was against Harvard, who they basically shut down. Nikki knew her father was really happy about it, the boys were really happy about it, and she was proud of the way they were finally coming together. Jimmy's dad showed up, and they were off talking as the rest of the team boarded the bus.

"How we doing Jimmy?" Nikki started slipping an arm around his waist as he came back to the bus.

"Good," he answered strongly. "Real good."

"Alright," she started giving him a play pat on the rear end as he boarded the bus.

"Did you just smack my ass?" He looked back at her.

"Hockey players don't do that?" She asked in confusion.

"Not to my knowledge," he answered.

"Opps, sorry, I take it back," she defended. He shook his head and got to his seat. She turned to find her father giving her a Coach Look. "I didn't know!" She insisted throwing up her arms in defeat.

* * *

First thing at their next practice Nikki was helping the boys stretch out while Coach Brooks and Craig were talking off to the side.

"Switch," she called going to stretch out her other leg.

"Rizzo's making diner tonight, boys," one of the boys started, she wasn't sure who. "You know there's gonna be some meatballs." Laughter.

"You boys keep eating them I'll keep making them," Rizzo put in. More laughter.

"I think you guys are insane to eat that stuff," Bah added. "No offence Rizzo." And again, came more laughter.

"I'd invite you over my place," Nikki put in. "But I'd be too afraid my mom would have to break out the shot gun, or something drastic like that. I can see her now: _'Get out of my house'_, coming after you with a butcher's knife or something, turning into a scene out of an Alfred Hitchcock movie." Laughter again.

"Is there a gas leak around here or something, because apparently we're all high right now," Wells put in.

"Hey Timmy!" Coach Patrick called. Another hockey player came out on the ice. All the boys looked on with suspicion and distaste.

"Hey who is that?" Rizzo asked.

"Timmy Harrer," Bah answered. "Plays for the Gophers."

"How prestigious is a gopher I mean honestly, can't we have a better state animal?" Nikki started.

"There having a big year," he continued.

"Did you know he was coming," a few of the boys were asking.

"No," other boys were answering.

"Hey Nikki, did you know he was coming," Mac asked. Nikki shook her head.

"No," she insisted. "No my dad didn't say anything about this."

Nikki was in the lockers with the boys that afternoon, as they were packing up their things.

"See you, boys," Timmy started out, the first to leave. Nikki stuck her tongue out at him as he left.

"This is ridiculous," Mike Ramsey started.

"Don't worry about it Rammer," Rizzo started. "It'll be alright, right O.C."

"Herb's not gonna do a damn thing boys," O.C. assured with a cocky grin on his face. "He's just messing with our minds."

"You so sure about that, Jack?" Nikki asked uneasily, setting herself down next to Rizzo and leaning over on him.

"Yea," He nodded confidently. "I do."

"Well we all know Herb made the Olympic team back in '60," Jimmy put it.

"So?" Jack asked.

"So a week before the games Coach Riley calls him into his office and sends him home," Jimmy continued.

"What's your point?" Jack pressed.

"A week later Herb's sitting on his couch with his old man watching his team go on to win the gold medal," Jimmy went on. "Come that close and get nothing, he'll do whatever it takes. I guess that's my point."

* * *

Nikki entered the room, were her father was heating up something to eat for them, and found him talking on the phone, as her mother came down stairs.

"I understand that Walter," he said in frustration then hung up a moment later.

"What's the matter?" Nikki inquired.

"Nothing," her father shot back.

"When you say nothing like that it is not nothing," Nikki protested. "I mean nothing is definitely something. No such thing as nothing."

"There's talk Carter may boycott the Moscow games next summer," he answered sitting down to eat.

"So if we don't go there, they might not come here," Nikki answered.

"Right," he answered.

"Don't do thing to yourself, Herb, there are things you can control, and things you can't," Patti added.

"No milk," he started going into the ice box.

"You'll still have everything you want here in Minnesota," Patti assured him.

"Don't tell me what I'll have Patti," Herb shot. "You don't know this enough to tell me that."

"I understand you being upset when I say you work too hard teaching a simple game," Patti shot back angrily. "But don't _ever_ criticize me for caring about you." With that she just walked away.

* * *

The boys were running plays at practice the next morning. Nikki watched Rizzo with the puck, and grimaced as he missed the goal completely.

"Come on, Rizzo!" her father yelled, exasperated.

"I know Coach, I know," Rizzo defended.

"You know, then why did you do it," Herb yelled. "Again? You better start putting the puck into the net, Rizzo, or you're not going anywhere. And don't think I won't do it."

Mike came back to the bench, crest fallen. Nikki gave him a pat on the arm.

"Chin up," she urged. "I want to see those beautiful brown eyes." And the smile came back as he gave her a hug.

* * *

At the next game, against the NHL All Stars, Nikki sat next to Rizzo on the bench practically the whole game; she thought he played once, while her father leaned over speaking encouraging words to Timmy Harrer, who the rest of the team had grown to despise. She wasn't even sure who won the game in the end. She hadn't paid the slightest bit of attention to that.

_Twisted up inside, sad but true_

_Going out of my mind, thanks to you_

_What were you thinking when you smiled your sweet smile?_

_You must've known that it would rock my world._

_I got a feeling you got something that I've got to have_

_I've got it bad, and baby that's a good thing_

_Falling in love that's a good thing_

_Can't get enough of your good thing_

_That's a good thing._

She was thinking about everything but that. Like what would happen if her father sent Rizzo home? She realized the only Rizzo she knew played hockey, is that all he did, or did he have another job. If he was cut from the team, would they stay in touch? Or did he have a girlfriend back in Winthrop, Massachusetts. Would he have expected her to get her dad to keep him on the team...and then she decided...they needed to talk.

Then she started to ponder how she could approach him, and went through every possible greeting from "Hey, sweetie, you got a minute?" to "Look you son of a bitch, I've got something to say, so shut up and listen." And it was at that point that she decided she really aught to stop pondering.

After the game Rizzo was the last one left in the locker room, as Nikki was quite confident he would be as she slipped into the room. After all, she had picked up more about these twenty-odd boys than anyone else.

_Dangerous, yea, that's you_

_And the two of us, oh, what we could do._

_What were you thinking when you smiled your sweet smile?_

_You must've known that it would rock my world._

_I got a feeling you got something that I've got to have_

_I've got it bad and baby, that's a good thing_

_Falling in love that's a good thing_

_Can't get enough of your good thing_

_That's a good thing._

"Hey...Rizzo," she started, catching his attention as he packed up his things. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," he answered in the most generous warm way, as she sat next to him.

"I don't think, we can just ignore what my dad is doing right now," she said.

"_We_ as in you and me?" he asked.

"No," she started. "_We—_as in the team and myself. This isn't fair to any one of you, and you know that, I know that, so how can you not know that. You boys have been busting your asses for Herb for how long, and he's repaying you by bringing in outsiders." She stopped looking a little weird. "Did that sound as stupid out loud as I think it did?" He nodded.

"It sounded pretty stupid," he admitted.

"But anyway, I just need you to know, It's not right," she continued. "I know this is all very repetitive at this point, but someone needs to stand up to him, and I know the boys won't do it without you. This team needs you, and you need to prove that to Herb."

"They don't need me," he corrected her. "They've got Timmy Harrer."

"Don't say that," she started heatedly. "That's not even what I meant. Timmy Harrer can play, we know that, he made that point very evident some time ago, but he can't hold this team together, he doesn't have a tenth of your spirit, your desire. That's what the team needs, that's what I need right now, and I love you, and I'm scared." She took a deep breath to keep from crying. "I'm so scared of not being with you. I don't know what I'd do without you; you're the last thing I can hold onto. I can't think about anything else sometimes, and I'm just scared."

"Hey," he began pulling her into an encouraging hug. "You don't ever have to worry about that, okay." He kissed her forehead gently. "We're going to be okay, no more worries." Nikki closed her eyes trying her hardest to tuck away every smell and every sensation there was in being held safe in the arms of Mike Eruzione. Her favorite place in the world.

_Out of breath, loosing sleep_

_Girl you put your spell on me_

_I see your fire, feel it burn_

_I'm past the point of no return._

_What were you thinking when you smiled your sweet smile?_

_You must've known that it would rock my world._

_I got a feeling you got something that I've got to have_

_I've got it bad, and baby that's a good thing_

_Falling in love that's a good thing_

_Can't get enough of your good thing_

_That's a good thing.__1_

There was a loud bang as the door hit the wall, as some of the boys stormed in.

"Rizzo!" Came the penetrating sound of the voice of Robbie McClanahan. "We need to...wow, are we interrupting something?" Nikki and Rizzo looked over to where Mark Johnson, O.C., and Mac had stopped dead after bursting into the room.

"No," Nikki assured them confidently. "We were just talking."

* * *

"Herb," Coach Patrick started, climbing onto the bus. "Some of the boys want to have a word." They waited in a small huddle as Herb came down off the bus.

"This better take about two seconds," he warned.

"This is crazy, Herb," O.C. started. "Bringing him in this late."

"We've got parents buying tickets, getting rooms," Mac started. "It makes it hard knowing what to tell them."

"And with one of us going home as it is," O.C. added.

"I guess I don't have to ask where you stand on this," Herb started, looking to where his daughter was holding hands with Mike. "Do I Rizzo?" Nikki squeezed his hand encouragingly, trying not to look at her father, for fear of saying something stupid.

"You want me to say I'm scared of getting cut," Rizzo began. "I'm scared of getting cut, we all are."

"We just want it to be fair, Herb," O.C. put in.

"Don't even try to talk to be about fair," Herb protested. "He was right there in Colorado."

"That was six months ago," Rizzo protested.

"You don't think he's been playing for the last six moths?" Herb asked.

"Not with us," he protested.

"Like hell, there is," Herb shot. "All I know is that kid can flat out play."

"What? And we can't," Mac interjected.

"He's got a smooth stick, soft hands," Herb started. "Great vision on the ice. And let me tell what else he's got; he's got the attitude I want on and off the ice , so somebody better tell me why I shouldn't give him a hell of a look."

"Because we're a family," Mark Johnson finally spoke up.

"What?" Herb gave him a look of confusion.

"We're a family," Mark insisted.

"One hell of a family you've got here," Herb shot back.

"Well this is the family you made us," Nikki retorted. "And if you don't like it, then...tough!"

"And this is the family you want to go to Lake Placid with?" Coach Brooks asked.

"Absolutely," O.C. put in.

"Wouldn't have it any other way," Mac agreed.

"Timmy Harrer can help us boys," herb started. "And I'm gonna send him home. We've got one more to get down to twenty. You understand?" They nodded, and Herb got back on the bus.

"Alright," they all sighed in relief, going back to the bus.

1 Brandon Hart lyrics, _Good Thing_


	9. Chapter 9

__

A/N: Sorry this one's so short, but that's where I needed to wrap this one up, with a little bit of a cliff hanger. So I've desided 1.) the second romance is an O.C. and 2.) no triangle, but it really wouldn't have been much of a triangle anyway with Nikki/Rizzo with something like Mac/Nikki interest, but that was a friend's idea, after I said I was going to write a chapter to Bruce Springsteen's _I'm on Fire._

I only changed this a little bit, because I heard this song, _Heaven is a Place on Earth_ and it just sort of fit with this so I added just a little bit. Still a cliff hanger, so, on with the show

* * *

It was the day before the Christmas party Doc was hosting, and Mac, O.C. and a few of the other guys had temporarily disabled the girls' bathroom. So Nikki was in one of the stalls in the boys' bathroom changing, when Mac came in.

"Hey Nikki," he declared. "You dropped this purple silky thing...that kinda looks really hot."

"Thanks so much," she started. "Now could you please just shove that in my bag."

"Can I see you in them?" he asked.

"Under no circumstances," Nikki protested.

"We'll then maybe I'm just going to hold onto them until you change your mind," he teased.

"What on earth are you going to do with a thong, Mac?" she inquired. "Try it on?"

"I think I will," he started. "Though, I don't think I really like the idea of flossing my butt."

"Oh, gross," Nikki started. "You can keep them."

* * *

Dave Silk pulled open the small white box, and pulled out a purple thong.

"You're girl left these at my place," Mac started. "With some milk and cookies." There were laughs and cheers from all around the long table. "No actually I borrowed them off of Nikki the other day."

"Hey!" Herb started up.

"Oh my God," Nikki started and began to blush. She leaned over into Rizzo's shoulder.

"Those are nice," Rizzo started with a sarcastic grin.

"I didn't know he was going to wave them around the room," she admitted.

"What else do you think happens when Mac wears your underwear?" he inquired.

"Hey, boys, we've got three presents left," Jimmy, complete in the Santa Claus outfit, said with a smile, he selected a gift bag and handed it over to Nikki, in her position at the table between Rizzo and O.C. "There's one for Nikki."

Nicolette wondered hesitantly about what was in the package, everyone had received a gag gift so far. Buzz had a big red clown nose, Coxie had a whoopee cushion, Jack had a giant cigar, Rizzo was sporting little alien antenna, and Doc had a giant spinning bowtie.

She pulled away the tissue paper and found a little tiara, which Jack promptly grabbed and stuck on her head. She continued to pull out a wand with silver beads forming a star at the end, with pink ribbons hanging down. She pressed it to her chin thoughtfully.

_Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?  
_

_Ooh heaven is a place on earth  
_

_They say in heaven love comes first  
_

_We'll make heaven a place on earth  
_

_Heaven is a place on earth_

"Am I a good with or a bad witch?" she asked with a smile.

"Bad witch!" They all shouted at her. She took her wand and began smacking Rizzo over the head with it.

"Prince! Prince! Prince!" She demanded hitting him repeatedly, as Rizzo frowned playfully. "It doesn't work," she confirmed jokingly, as they all laughed.

"Coach Patrick," Jimmy continued, "From the boys."

"I thought you forgot," Craig started, opening the makeshift card. "To Craig...that's beautiful boys." He opened the box. "You're gonna like this," he started looking at Herb, and pulled out a colorful plastic whistle. He blew on it.

"Perfect!" Coxie started. "Again!" a bunch of the boys yelled. Craig blew the whistle. "Again!" Another whistle. "Again."

"Ouch! My hand!" Jack teased. Nikki slapped him lightly.

"Alright," Herb cut them off, grabbing the whistle. "It's going back in the box."

"Coach Brooks," Jimmy continued, handing over the final present. Herb pulled away the wrapping paper, and revealing a bullwhip.

"Ah, the gift that keeps on giving," he began.

"No!" The boys started up.

"Speech!" A few chorused, then more. "Speech!"

"This may come as a shock to some of you," he started. "But I'm not very good at giving sentimental speeches."

"No way," a few boys teased.

"And I don't think I should start now," he continued. "Thanks for having me over Velta."

"Good night Herb," she started.

"You boys have a great holiday," he added. "I'll see you at home, Nikki."

"I'll be in before one," she promised.

"Merry Christmas, Coach," the boys called as he left, then went into, "Let's play some football!" Nikki bundled up with the boys and ran outside to watch the game.

_When the night falls down  
_

_I wait for you  
_

_And you come around  
_

_And the world's alive  
_

_With the sound of kids  
_

_On the street outside_

There was a big fire burning in a metal trash can and she stood there watching as Buzz slid down a hill. Mike was standing there with an arm around her for a while, before she told him to go join the game.

_When you walk into the room  
_

_You pull me close and we start to move  
_

_And we're spinning with the stars above  
_

_And you lift me up in a wave of love..._

Rizzo plowed over Silky and did a crazy looking summersault. He ran over and pulled her out onto their field.

"Come on, one play," he urged her. "You just take the ball and run, okay." She nodded as they set up. Mac tossed her the ball, and she ran about half way down to the other line before O.C. grabbed her around the waist. She threw the ball over to Cox who ran the rest of the way.

_Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?  
_

_Ooh heaven is a place on earth  
_

_They say in heaven love comes first  
_

_We'll make heaven a place on earth  
_

_Ooh heaven is a place on earth_

"Nice pass," Mike commented with a shrug. "Even if you're not really supposed to do that."

"Says who?" she teased.

"I love you," he started.

"I know," she answered._  
  
When I feel alone  
_

_I reach for you  
_

_And you bring me home  
_

_When I'm lost at sea  
_

_I hear your voice  
_

_And it carries me_

Mac scored a touch down and O.C. picked him up and swung him around.

For a while she was sure there was nothing else in the world filled with so much happiness and innocence, as twenty-one boys playing football in the snow on Christmas Eve.

_In this world we're just beginning  
_

_To understand the miracle of living  
_

_Baby I was afraid before  
_

_But I'm not afraid anymore_

Then she began thinking about what would happen after. After they went home tonight. After the final cut was made. After the Olympics. And she realized she may never get another chance.

_Ooh, baby, do you know what that's worth?  
_

_Ooh heaven is a place on earth  
_

_They say in heaven love comes first  
_

_We'll make heaven a place on earth  
_

_Ooh heaven is a place on earth_

"How're we doing," Rizzo asked her compassionately. Coming over to where she stood.

"I'm cold," she started uneasily. He noticed the sweat coming off her brow and the way her hands shook.

"You're shivering, we should get you inside," he suggested. She nodded.

"Yea, I think I'm going to be sick," she answered starting inside with him. She stopped suddenly, half way to the house and put a hand on her chest. "Oh God, what am I going to do?" she started nervously.

"What's wrong," he asked as she started breathing really heavy.

"I think I'm dying," she started in pain, leaning up against him. "I'm going to die."

"No, what are you talking about," he started in worried confusion.

"Oh God," she started again. He was sure he saw her falling before it actually happened and caught her before she hit the ground. By then the football game was at a standstill.

"Someone run get Doc," Rizzo wasn't even sure where the order had come from, but as he set Nicolette down on the couch, an ambulance pulled into the drive way.


	10. Chapter 10

__

Nikki opened her eyes and immediately regretted it. There were white lights all around, and it was just way too bright for tired eyes. She pulled her hands up in front of her face, but was stopped by the unfamiliar pull of an IV attached to her hand.

"Easy, easy," she heard a familiar soothing voice as a hand touched her arm.

"Mike," she smiled looking over to him, sitting on the chair by her bed. As she looked around she saw about twenty other familiar smiling faces. "Guys, hi, how long have I been asleep?"

"A couple hours," Mike answered. "You're parents are on their way."

"Good," she started with a sigh, leaning her head back sleepily onto the pillow. "I can't believe I'm having panic attacks again."

"Panic attack?" Rizzo questioned.

"Yea, I used to get them a lot, when I was trying to do a lot of things, like horse back riding, and singing, and dance, and competitive skating, and plays and stuff," she answered. "Every now and then, I'd just break down like I did back there. I was on medication for a while and they stopped, until now."

"You going to be okay?" he asked hopefully. She nodded.

"Yea," she promised. "Yea, I just need some sleep." She paused a moment and looked around the room. "Wait a minute how'd you all get in here?" She asked.

"We're a family, remember," Mark Johnson told her.

"What, so you just told the hospital staff you were my twenty brothers and they let you right in?" She inquired.

"Of course not," O.C. reprimanded her. "You think we're that stupid? Jimmy's your brother. Coxie's your uncle; Jannie's your god father. Christian and Morrow are your twin cousins...they're visiting from West Virginia. Strobel, Christoff, Suter and Wells are friars from the boarding school you went to."

"Friars?!" She Gapped.

"Yea, they always let clergy men into hospital rooms," he continued. "Now Silky and Pav are your second cousins on your father's side. Now Bah is your brother Jimmy's bone marrow donor, so he's practically family. Baker's your brother in law, and Rammer is his brother. Johnson is the family's trusted butler, and Mac over there is the father of your son, Buzzy."

"Buzz is my son?" She asked. "So I was having kids before I was born?"

"Technically," Jack went on. "It was a very experimental procedure that I—as your lawyer—could not disclose any information about."

"And what about Rizzo?" She asked.

"You must be sicker than we though," Mac joked. "Rizzo's your husband." She smiled and she laughed, and took his hand, when her parents came in.

"What are you all doing in here?" Herb demanded.

"We came to see Nikki," Mac put in. "We wanted to make sure she was okay."

"Well she's fine," Herb assured them. "Now you need to get out of here." So the majority of the boys filed out, save Rizzo, O.C., Jimmy, and Mac the later of whom was arguing with Coach Brooks about coming in to see Nikki as her mother went to talk with the doctor, about how she could leave tomorrow afternoon, when loud, boisterous commands were heard coming down the hall.

"Get out of my way! Coming through! We have an emergency here!" When a delicate young woman with very short, light brown hair, and deep tan skin burst into the room, closely followed by another young woman with long, curly, blond hair and a young man with dark hair, who was loaded down with get well parcels.

"Nikki!" The first girl yelled rushing over to the bed. "Oh my God what are you doing to yourself?"

"I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for so I brought flowers...and balloons...and candy...and teddy bear," the young man put in.

"Look at this, it's bigger than me." Nikki laughed holding up the big soft teddy bear. "Thanks so much, Zack," Nikki said as he leaned over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "You're sweet."

"I'm alright," Nikki assured her, as she began looking around the room.

"Obviously, you've been doing very well for yourself," she noted observing the boys.

"Oh, guys," she started. "These are three of my absolute best friends in the whole wide world, Lola Mallineaux, and Zack and Jenna Hunt. Lola, Zack, Jenna, these are some of the guys from my dad's hockey team: Jimmy, Rizzo...and... O...C..."

She watched to Lola and Jack absorbed in their own little conversation at this point.

"So you play Olympic hockey," Lola was saying in a dreamy tone, leaning over onto the bed, trying to make her cleavage stand out. "I bet that's very competitive."

"It is," he agreed cockily, brushing his hair out of his face.

"I bet you've got to be in real good shape for that huh?" She went on. Nikki laughed as Herb smacked his forehead.

"O.C. get out of here," Herb ordered.

"Okay so here's my number," Lola went on taking a pen off the clipboard at the end of the bed. She jotted down a number on his hand. "Call me?"

"Absolutely," he promised, not taking his eyes off her as he walked out.

"And wash your hands!" Herb ordered.

"Sure thing coach," He answered. "I already memorized it anyway."

"Umm...that's my ride," Jimmy started.

"Bye Jimmy," Nikki cooed.

"Take it easy," he urged, patting her foot as he walked past.

"Rizzo," Herb shot. "Aren't you leaving?"

"I drove," he answered in innocent ignorance.

"Right so we came, we said hello, get well, we showered with gifts, and now we must depart," Zack added. "See you soon, sweetie." He gave Nikki another kiss, and so did the girls.

"He's so hot," Lola whispered. "Do you think he likes me?"

"I know he does," Nikki assured her.

"You take care," Lola urged. "I'll see ya'." As they slipped out of the room.

"Rizzo," Herb shot again.

"Five minutes coach," he pleaded once more.

"I am going to get Nikki's overnight bag out of the car, and when I come back, you will be gone."

"Sure thing Coach," he said as Herb left. "So, do I have some competition or what?" He began as Nikki pet her teddy bear.

_It's amazing how you can speak right to my heart  
_

_Without saying a word, you can light up the dark  
_

_Try as I may I could never explain  
_

_What I hear when you don't say a thing_

"No," she assured him with a smile. "His dad's a doctor, and he likes to share the wealth, obviously, we were in plays together. He's a good guy. Not for me. She looked fondly at the teddy bear. "Hmm...I think I'll name him Rizzo," she mused.

"Whatever tips your cows," he told her confidently setting himself down on the bed.

"That's a cute little saying," she cooed pulling him back against her chest, and brushing his hair back. She leaned her head against his.

_The smile on your face let's me know that you need me  
_

_There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me  
_

_A touch of your hand says you'll catch me if ever I fall  
_

_Yeah, you say it best when you say nothing at all_

"I don't want you to go," she pleaded.

"I don't want to go." He assured her. "Maybe we can send the Rizzo bear out of the room," he suggested. "Do you think your dad would mind?"

"More than somewhat," she said, wrapping an arm around his chest and listening to him breathe soft and slow. Now she was still unsure where the warmth and the confidence Mike had came from, or why it seemed to rub off on her, but she knew it was wonderful, and perfect, and love. And after a moment of reveling in her own personal euphoria she drifted off to sleep.

_All day long I can hear people talking out loud  
_

_But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd  
_

_Old Mr. Webster could never define  
_

_What's being said between your heart and mine __1___

1 _When You Saw Nothing at All_, written (?) and preformed by Keith Whitley. Redone by Alison Kraus...is she of any relation to Brian Kraus?


	11. Chapter 11

Right so I'm officially out of my mind. There are some inconsistencies in this chapter, but I'm sort-of setting up for a possible sequel, if anyone wants a sequel that is. Any way I had this bazaar dream the other night. The Miracle guys were on this Survivor type show and it was just crazy. I shot up in bed yelling: "I've got to write." So this is pretty stupid...

_Now this is new and improved, because I was examining my plot for the sequel the other day...and it was horrible. Thank God for winter break, the sequel is up and coming._

* * *

_11_

Nikki was in the locker room with the boys as they were discussing what to do that night.

"You want to get some food," O.C. asked. Buzz, across the room, nodded at him.

"Nikki, you and Rizzo coming with us?" He asked.

"Where are you going?" she inquired watching Wells shove a sock in Dave Christian's face out of the corner of her eye.

"How about Mario's?" O.C. asked above the bustling in the lockers. "Mario's?"

"Naw," she started. "I had some bad seafood last night; it's not sitting well with me. I need to get something a little less greasy."

"You want to invite that friend Lola of yours?" O.C. asked, pleaded.

"For you Jack, anything," she answered light-heartedly, leaning over into Rizzo, a quite typical posture for them now. It was quite hard not to notice they were always next to each other, touching one another: holding hands, having their arms around each other, she's lean into him if they were just standing around.

It wasn't hard to tell they were fond of one another, but what was hard to notice, was the way Coach Patrick slipped into the room, and went up to Ralph but the whole world stopped when those feared words were spoken:

"Coxie, Coach wants to have a word with you."

Mike looked over, compassion written all over his face as Ralph smiled and got up. Nikki watched him go with a knot tied in her stomach, and when the door shut she buried her face in Rizzo's arm.

"What's wrong?" He asked sensitively, brushing her hair back, although he still hadn't recovered from what had just happened. Her heart sunk lower in her chest as she croaked out an answer.

"I'm glad it wasn't you." He pulled her into a tight hug, and started in a voice ridden with guilt:

"Yea, so was I."

* * *

We all make sacrifices, even if we don't realize it at the time, but what most people don't understand is when you sacrifice something, you don't give it up, you pass it on for the greater good of everything. What's really important is knowing what to sacrifice, what to give up and what to hold onto.

Now the team still had many more sacrifices to make, some they would make consciously, others, not, but right now all any one knew was that they were going to face the Soviet Hockey team for the first time at Madison Square Gardens. This was the first game where there would be full media coverage. The first real big thing they were up against.

Within the first few moments of the game Nikki found herself already on the edge of her seat. The Soviets were relentless, scoring there first goal after Jack lost sight of the back door and from there things went steadily down hill for team United States, losing the game 4 to 1.

Lola came rushing down the stadium stairs after Nicolette once the majority of the crowds had dispersed.

"Oh my God is he okay," she started frantically. Nikki shook her head.

"We don't know," she admitted uneasily.

"Can I get back to see him," Lola began hopefully. "Please? Please?" Nikki looked around cautiously.

"Yea, come on," she urged quietly, taking her back to the locker room where O.C. was stretched out on the doctor's table with his leg propped up on a bag of ice.

"I need to go catch up to my dad," Nikki started. "I'll be back in a minute." Lola went over and touched his arm gently. He forced himself up on his elbows to look at her with tears in his eyes.

Lola took one look at him and put her arms around him without a word. Jack was trying to get as close to her as he could without moving his leg. He gave her a kiss on the cheek; she gave him a peck on the lips.

"When'd you get here?" He asked, breaking the tender moment.

"I missed you a lot," she admitted in a wavering voice, as she kissed his cheek. "I missed not watching at practice, and going out for dinner with you and the guys, I missed it a lot."

"I missed it too," he replied and pulled her into a passionate kiss.

* * *

Jimmy was chasing after Nikki and her father know.

"You know what I don't understand," he started angrily. "I don't understand you, and your drills and your stupid sayings, and those stupid psychology tests you had everyone take."

"Everyone?" her father shot back. Nikki looked between them in wonder debating whether she should start up the stairs with her father.

"You want me to take your test," Jimmy returned. "I'll take your test."

"I want to see that kid in the net who wouldn't take the test," Herb retorted. Jimmy looked at her and she shrugged in agitation.

"You think I understand him?" she asked. "I don't understand him."

* * *

Rizzo sat in his hotel room in his pajamas sometime before midnight, watching the news. He was on his own after O.C. had to be taken to the hospital. Lola had gone with him. It was kind of cute, what they had, and cute wasn't usually O.C.'s style, especially with women.

He was in the middle of making hot chocolate when there was a nock on the door. He got up to answer it and found Nikki standing there biting her nail with tear streaks coming down her face, and puffy red eyes.

_Hey little girl is your daddy home  
_

_Did he go and leave you all alone  
_

_I got a bad desire  
_

_I'm on fire  
_

"Hey, what's wrong sweetie?" He began, as she buried her face in his chest.

"My dad and I got in a fight," she explained in agitation, as he pulled her in and sat her down on the sofa. "Another fight."

"Uh oh," he started nervously. "Do I want to hear the end of this story?"

"No," she assured him. "No, not about you. About me, we were fighting about me."

"Do you want to talk?" he asked. She shook her head. "How about some hot cocoa? The good stuff, no 'just add hot water' crap here." She smiled.

"I'd like that," she admitted, smiling as her handed her a cup. "Do you think I'm smart?"

"Of course, I do," Rizzo answered. "I think you're brilliant and insightful, and the most intelligent person I know."

"Apparently my dad doesn't agree with you," she answered solemnly, sipping her cocoa. "You see, we started talking about what I'm going to do after the games, where I'll be applying to college. He wants me to go to a junior college, a community college, or the U. I want to go to a prestigious college, as far from home as I can get. My dad doesn't seem to think I'm competent enough."

"You're dad wants to keep you close," Rizzo assured her. "If you were my daughter I would too."

"Don't listen to that," Rizzo insisted. "We've already agreed that your dad's a few shy of a full deck." She smiled and snuggled up against them, comfortably, closing her eyes. He brushed her hair back gently, setting his chin on her head.

_Tell me now baby is he good to you  
_

_Can he do to you the things that I do, all night  
_

_I can take you higher  
_

_I'm on fire_

"So you're absolutely alright," he asked in gently concern.

"Absolutely alright," she promised, in a fatigued voice.

"Do you want me to walk you back to your room?" He asked. She shook her head.

"I don't want to go back," she started. "Do you think I could just crash right here on the couch."

"No," he started up. She looked up at him in surprise. "No," he finished. "Go in. Take the bed."

"No you've got practice at 4:30 in the morning, you need to go get some sleep," she insisted.

"Well," he continued. "We could share the bed, if that's okay with you?" Her eyes narrowed slightly.

"Mike Eruzione," she began. "There is a thin line between sweet and predatory and you are dancing on it."

"Who's dancing," he defended. "It's a decent sized bed, it's not like we have to be on top of one another." She glared. "Wait that didn't come out right."

"Oh?" she mused.

"Not that I wouldn't mind, being on top of you—no, that's not what I meant—" He defended franticly with odd hand gestures. "I just meant...I'm twisting everything I'm saying."

"Why don't you stop before you hurt yourself," she suggested. "I'm just going to go get settled in."

"Right," he breathed. "I'm just going to clean up." He grabbed the two empty cups of cocoa, and went over into the kitchen, to put them in the sink.

He came back into the bedroom to find Nikki sitting on the bed in his Mickey Mouse shirt, which was about three sized to big on her. He took one look at that and just laughed.

"What are you doing in that thing?" he questioned.

"Getting ready to go to sleep," she answered with a clever smile.

"If you need clothes you could have gotten something clean," he told her.

"I like this shirt," she insisted. "It's soft. It smells like you."

"It smells like sweaty hockey player," he continued.

"Well I like it," she said, as she tucked herself under the sheets, that had the consistency of paper, and he soon followed suit.

"I hate hotel beds," he admitted throwing the comforter to the foot of the bed, before lying down beside her.

"It's not so bad," she assured him, putting a hand on his back. "I'm just thinking of how comfortable I am with you, rather than how uncomfortable I am in this bed."

"I love you," he started, rolling over to face her and give her a kiss on the cheek. She rubbed her nose against his.

"Eskimo kisses," she started sleepily. He smiled at her and she laughed happily, giving him a light kiss on the lips. He was more than happy to kiss her right back. She definitely loved kissing him. Every time he kissed her it was like their first kiss all over again. A rush of new feelings, a happy place in her mind, the rest of the world just went away.

_Sometimes it's like someone took a knife, baby, edgy and dull_

_And cut a six-inch valley through the middle of my soul _

At night I wake up with the sheets soaking wet

_And a freight train running through the middle of my head  
_

_You can cool my desire  
_

_I'm on fire (1)

* * *

_

1 Bruce Springsteen lyrics, _I'm on Fire_


	12. Chapter 12

I added that chapter in to explain why Nikki will be grabbing Jimmy's ass in future chapters...or maybe she won't, but that was sort of the plan, but yea, she also did that butt smaking thing after the Harvard game so yea...

Defidently out of my mind. I was reading this interview with Jimmy Craig, and he started talking about Herb's kids and I was half expecting hi to say: "Yea, and Nikki Brooks, she was this crazy girl who had a crush on me." I mean I watch the movie and I half expect my scenes to come up, and I get sort-of dissapointed when they don't. Is that healthy?

So anyway, on with the show.

* * *

The boys were getting their first look around Lake Placid. Nikki climbed down from the bus, swinging onto Rizzo and Jimmy. 

"Finally," she breathed in relief. "That was the single longest car ride of my life." She linked her arms in theirs and pulled them both forward as she skipped along, screaming rather than singing:

"_We're off to see the wizard—_"

"Nikki stop it," Coach Brooks ordered. "Can you please turn the crazy down just a bit?" Nikki gave him a thoughtful look, and shook her head.

"No, not possible." She said simply, "Come my minions!" She urged as Jimmy grabbed onto Buzzy, and Johnson hooked onto Rizzo; and the song went on:

"_The wonderful wizard of Oz! Because, because, because, because—"_

"_Because!_" They were greeted at the door by Lola's sing-song voice.

"Because of the wonderful things he does!" Nikki finished in unison with her as she rushed forward to execute an intricate hand shake with her best friend, which ended with several hip-bumps, and kisses on the cheek.

Coach Brooks was talking to some of the guys from the A.H.A.

"So what's the deal O.C.," Johnson asked as Jack, complete with crutched sort of hobbled over.

"I talked to Herb," he started. "He's leaving me in the dark."

"It'll be okay," Nikki assured him rubbing his arm lightly, as they went to check out the ice rink.

_She thinks I walk on water  
_

_She thinks I hung the moon  
_

_She tells me every morning  
_

_They just don't make men like you  
_

_She thinks I've got it together  
_

_She swears I'm as tough as nails  
_

_But I don't have the heart to tell her  
_

_That she don't know me that well  
_

Lola had her arm placed gently around Jack's waist as they stood out on the ice. She leaned into his shoulder, careful not to put extra pressure on his bad leg.

"You're strong," she assured him. "You're going to be able to make it through this." That had been her mantra since they went into the hospital together.

_She don't know how much I need her  
_

_She don't know I'd fall apart  
_

_Without her kiss  
_

_Without her touch  
_

_Without her faithful loving arms  
_

_She don't know that it's all about her  
_

_She don't know I can't live without her  
_

_She's my world she's my everything  
_

_And she thinks she needs me _

Jack looked over to her and couldn't help but let a tear fall down his face, as she rubbed his cheek gently. That was when Coach Brooks paced out onto the ice.

"Doc said, No, right," O.C. asked sniffing slightly, looking over with the saddest eyes you had ever seen.

"He said you might be able to go in a week or two." Herb answered.

"And if it's two?" Jack continued wiping away the tears that were falling down his face.

"Well then that puts me in a hell of a spot," Herb continued. "I've got twenty guys here and there all looking for me to do the best thing for the team."

"I understand," Jack went on as Lola gave him a slight comforting squeeze. It was a lie, he didn't understand it and he hated it.

_Sometimes she cries on my shoulder  
_

_When she's lying next to me  
_

_But she don't know that when I hold her  
_

_That she's really holding me  
_

_Holding me  
_

_  
_"Which is why I'm holding on to you," Herb finished. Lola and Jack both turned to him in disbelief.

"I swear to God Herb," Jack managed to choke out through the tears. "If you're kidding right now—"

"On one condition," Coach went on. "You don't even think about asking me to play until I say so."

"I will," Jack laughed in relief. "I mean I won't...I swear to you."

"Because if you do," Herb warned. "I'm sticking you butt on a plane and you're going back to Boston."

"Thank you, Herb," he started as Lola laughed in his ear, they slid halfway across the rink, before the celebration bug hit him.

_She don't know how much I need her  
_

_She don't know I'd fall apart  
_

_Without her kiss  
_

_Without her touch  
_

_Without her faithful loving arms  
_

_She don't know that it's all about her  
_

_She don't know I can't live without her  
_

_She's my world she's my everything  
_

_And she thinks she needs me_

"Woo! O.C.'s playing, baby!" He yelled happily. Lola gave him a hug and kissed his cheek.

"This is wonderful," she told him.

"You're wonderful," he answered with a cocky grin on his face.

_Yea now the funny thing is  
_

_She thinks she's the lucky one_

"Jack O'Callahan," she reprimanded him. "You think you're getting laid tonight don't you."

"Maybe a little," he cooed innocently. She shook her head in disgrace.

_She don't know how much I need her  
_

_She don't know I'd fall apart  
_

_Without her kiss  
_

_Without her touch  
_

_Without her faithful loving arms  
_

_She don't know that it's all about her  
_

_She don't know I can't live without her  
_

_She's my world she's my everything  
_

_And she thinks she needs me_

"Okay, maybe a little," she consented.

"Woo! O.C.'s getting—"

"Don't you even," she warned.

_She thinks I walk on water  
_

_She thinks I hung the moon _1

* * *

Nikki, Rizzo, Jack, and Lola were relaxing in the boys' room after dinner. They all agreed that Lake Placid had some of the best Chinese food on the face of the planet, as they were involved in a completely random conversation. 

"So I have to launch Zach off the trampoline," Nikki explained with animate hand motions. "He misses his mark terribly, goes flying off the stage, and into the teachers in the front row." Laughter.

"No, no, no. It gets better. Then the chicks from Baywatch show up, and there's this other girl chasing after them with a can of hair spray. Followed by this blond guy who must have been Luke Skywalker, because he's running from this dude in a black mask and cape yelling: 'You're not my Daddy'." More laughter.

"They're all like "Hey what's the problem?" and I'm just standing there like 'What the hell is this?' And here comes the American Werewolf in London, he grabs me and throws me off into the wing as Vader and Skywalker plunge into the Baywatch people, and a Speedo goes flying into the audience and lands on one of the mariachi players' sombreros." Lots of Laughter. "As it turns out it was all staged behind my back. I still don't know how they did it." She finished with a loud yawn.

"Wow," she started. "I better get to bed. I'll see you tomorrow, okay." She leaned over on the couch to give Mike a kiss. "See you guys tomorrow."

"Rizzo," Jack hissed, cocking his head in Nikki's direction.

"What?" Rizzo started cluelessly.

"Walk her to her room," Jack whispered.

"Huh?" Rizzo continued.

"I said get out of here!" Jack yelled indecently.

"God, oh!" He started rushing out after Nikki. Lola watched him leave and looked over at Jack with raised eyebrows.

"So, I guess that leaves us alone," she started.

"Yes it does," he answered leaning over to give her a passionate kiss. Lola couldn't help but laugh in elation as Jack kissed her face and neck enthusiastically. She kissed him on the lips lightly.

"Good night Jack," she went on, patting his chest lightly.

"What?" he started up. "Wait, where are you going?" He protested as she headed for the door.

"To my room," she answered teasingly.

"Hold on a minute," he insisted. "You said—"

"I said," she corrected him. "'Maybe a little'."

"A little," he mocked, forcing himself to his feet.. "That wasn't even—you're evil, pure evil."

"Sit down before you hurt yourself," she warned him.

"Who do you think you are anyway?" he protested.

"Do you have to ask?" she pressed sensitively.

"You're the woman I love," he answered, kissing her nose and her chin, and her lips. She looked at him with a smile in her eyes. "You're the woman with the most luscious lips in the world. And the most beautiful hazel eyes."

"You try too hard," she warned. "You're starting to sound cliché."

"You know you like it," he teased. She nodded, forcing him up against the wall, kissing him feverishly.

"Ouch," he started up.

"Oh God your knee, I'm sorry!"

"No," he assured her. "My head hit the shelf."

"Oh, good." He narrowed his eyes at her as she went on. "Which way's the bed room?" He cocked his head over to the right.

"Right, turn around," she instructed, wrapping a leg around his waist as they stumbled into the bedroom and tumbled onto the bed.

"Wait, wait, wait," she started up, as he worked on the buttons of her blouse. "What about Rizzo?"

"He's gone," Jack assured her.

"He's walking Nikki to her room," she put in.

"Yea, exactly," O.C. assured her. "He's sweet, not stupid."

"You obviously don't know Nikki very well," she insisted between vervent kisses. "She's one of those 'wait for marriage' types." Jack shook his head.

"Radicals," he started, as he put his mouth over hers. Lola's eyes flew open in the middle of their kiss.

"Oh no," she shot up.

"What's wrong?" he asked, as she rushed form the room.

"Our room is right next to Herb's," she called back at him.

"Oh, crap!" He exclaimed heading after her.

* * *

Rizzo started down the hall after Nikki. 

"Hey!" He called, she spun around and he grimaced as she jammed her shoulder into one of the china closets, which adorned the halls of the hotel.

"Ow!" she started in pain as he rushed over. "That really hurts."

"Let me see," he urged, taking a look at her shoulder, and her shook his head. "You popped your shoulder out of place."

"It really hurts," she whined.

"It's okay," he promised, "Come on; let's get you into your room." He picked her up and carried her bridal style down to her room at the end of the hall. He sat her down on her bed, and plopped down beside her.

"I can just setthis back in," he assured her. "If you want. Or we could take you to the hospital and have them do the same thing."

"Okay," she started uneasily. "Go ahead."

* * *

Lola burst into the room to find Nikki sitting on the bed with Mike in her lovely Victoria Secret's bra. Lola gasped in absolute shock as Nikki and Rizzo both jumped at the sight of her. 

"Nicolette!" She gaped. "I don't believe it."

"And you shouldn't," Nikki insisted pulling her shirt up to her body. "Because nothing's happening. I dislocated my shoulder, and Rizzo set it back in place."

"A likely story," Lola went on crossing her arms.

"It's the only story," Nikki insisted as Jack rushed into the room, slipped on the throw rug, flew into Lola, who toppled down onto Nikki and Rizzo.

* * *

"Mike get off me!" Nikki screamed, trying to fight her way out from the bottom of the dog pile, which was the first thing Coach Brooks heard as he came into the room. 

He stormed into the bedroom and just froze for a moment, wouldn't you if you say what he saw. Lola was sitting on Rizzo's back pushing on O.C., who was trying to find firm footing on the hardwood floor. Rizzo was half on top of Nikki, half off the bed.

"Hi daddy," Nikki started uneasily.

"What is going on!" He ordered, pulling Jack and Lola up, and pushing Mike off the bed. "Your ass is on a plane, your ass is on a plane, your ass is on a plane, your ass is on a plane. All of your asses are on planes, separate planes!" He hollered pointing to them each separately for emphasis.

They were all protesting at once so that nothing coherent came out.

"No dad, it's not like that," Nikki finally managed to make herself heard. "I hit my arm, and Rizzo was setting my shoulder back into place when Lola came in and O.C. ran into her and we all fell over. I swear that's all that happened!"

"I'm supposed to believe that?" Herb continued.

"Think about it," Mike put in. "It's too crazy not to be true. If we were going to lie, we'd say something believable."

"Hold on. What?" Herb questioned in confusion.

"Bottom line," Jack went on. "Nothing happened. _Nothing_. Not to you're daughter, not to _anyone_. Nothing."

* * *

Some hours later, 

"I can't believe we actually managed to talk ourselves out of that one," Lola sighed in relief, as the boys left. Jack glared at Rizzo in disgust.

"What?" Rizzo asked.

"You are an idiot!" Jack started in sheer annoyance. "_Idiot_!"

* * *

1 Andy Griggs, _She Thinks She Needs Me_. 


	13. Chapter 13

I understand the last chapter was a little—"crazy whistle"—strange, but I wasn't on pot or Jack Daniels or anything. It was sort of all based on some real situations I've witnessed. The incoherent conversation in the middle was spirit day at my high school, a skit from the 80's. Now how the girl really dislocated her arm was this other chick got up and tripped over a book bag and hit her arm, but there are no Becky's in this story so I had to make due with a china closet...sorry. No more crack-baby chapters then okay? This one's a little shorter

* * *

The next day is was US vs. Sweden. The boy were doing alright, but alright was nowhere near good enough. If they didn't beat or tie the Swedes in this game there was even less chance of them getting to the medal round then there had been before, which Nikki had heard, was nearly impossible. Robbie was hurt; Doc took him out to the locker room a few minutes before the buzzer.

Nikki followed her dad and Coach Patrick out to the locker room where they met Doc.

"What's the deal with Mac," Herb asked.

"Upper leg contusion," Doc answered. "I think he's done for the night."

"What if he plays?" her father asked.

"I don't understand," Doc went on.

"If he plays on it," Coach Brooks insisted. "Can he hurt it any worse?"

"Well no," Doc answered in confusion. "But it will be very painful for him, and he won't be able to do very much."

"You're not going to play him?" Nikki started trying to keep up with her father.

"Why not?" He asked.

"But he's got an upper leg...thingy," she insisted unsurely.

"I thought you were all for the suffering of Robbie MacClanahan?" Her father went on. Nikki stopped dead as her hands flew to her head.

"What am I doing?" she asked herself.

The term 'Uh-oh' was the only thing on Nikki's mind as she followed her father into the locker room.

"This is ridiculous, you guys are playing like this was some throwaway game up in Rochester," he started angrily. "Who are we playing, Rammer?"

"Sweden," Rammer answered.

"You're damn right, Sweden," Herb shot, as he flung over the table in the middle of the room. "In the Olympics!" Yep there he was, set on Homicidal-Herbie again. Coach Brooks directed his attention over to Robbie, who was stretched out along the bench with an ice pack over his leg.

"What're you doing," he shot. "Put your gear on."

"Doc said I can't play," Mac defended.

"You got a bad bruise," Coach mocked. "You know what, put your street clothes on; I don't have time for quitters."

"Come on Herb," Rizzo interceded. "No one's quitting here." Nikki shook her head in disgrace as her boyfriend practically volunteered himself to be Herb's lightning rod of hate.

"You worry about your own game," Coach shot at him. "Plenty there to keep you busy." Nikki grimaced with the thought: 'Harsh dad,' as Rizzo sunk back crest fallen. "A bruise on the leg is a helluva long way from the heart, you candy ass."

"What'd you call me," Mac shot, throwing the ice to the floor angrily.

"You heard me," Herb shot at him.

"You want me to play on one leg?" Mac yelled hobbling over.

"I want you to be a hockey player!" Herb returned.

"I am a hockey player!" Mac screamed at him. "I've been playing hockey for you for four years." He went for the Coach as Herb turned his back on him. Mark Johnson and Rammer had to hold him back as he went on yelling. "You want me to play on one leg! I'll play on one leg!"

"That's get 'em going," Herb started as he passed Coach Patrick.

"Oh yea," he agreed with a wry smile. "I'll clean up." Nikki laughed, looking at her father.

"He is going to kill you," she said with a smile. "He is literally going to kill you."

The beginning of the third period Mac was out on the ice, smacking around some steroid raged Swede. A lot of the guys were shouting encouragement from the bench as the puck zoomed back and forth. Nikki shuddered as Mac was checked hard into the boards. There were down to the final seconds of the game as her father pulled Jimmy out, and sent Mark in.

"Come on Johnson," Nikki shouted after him, as Jimmy pulled his mask next to her. She tore her eyes away from the game and leaned over back to check out his hind quarters. She was surprised and bothered to find them not as interesting as the hockey game.

"What are you doing," Jimmy asked suddenly.

"Just admiring the stitching," she started, tracing the number on his back.

"Please stop," he asked desperately.

"Sure thing Craig," she answered. '_Craig_?' she thought to herself, since when have I called him Craig?

Now Buzzy was fighting for the puck, he kicked it loose, out to Baker, who took a shot. An easy save for the Swedish goalie, but the puck came back out to Johnson who took a shot, and scored.

The buzzer sounded and the team went nuts. Nikki was jumping up and down on Rizzo, and Jimmy and anyone else she could reach.

"That was one hell of a move," Brooks started. "I didn't see him."

* * *

There was a press conference that night that Herb had to attend. Everyone wanted to talk to the players, but he said no. Nikki was there, but she wasn't allowed on camera, or to talk to the reporters. She figured her father didn't want her to say anything stupid about her and Rizzo being together. That would certainly make headlines.

Czechoslovakia was considered the second best team in the world, next to the Soviets. But the American team was more than equal to the task throttling them 7 to 3.

At the conference that night the reporters wanted to see the players again, specifically Jimmy, and again Herb said no. He told them that they were going to be a team on the ice, and off it.

At the next game they played Norway. Buzzy scored the winning goal in the final few minutes. It was like; at every game they held back and held back until the very end when they just blew everyone's mind.

Once more the reporters were attacking Coach Brooks. They must have really wanted to see those boys. Nikki knew it hadn't phased her dad one bit until one of the reporters stood up and asked: "Well how do you respond to people who say you're just doing this to keep the spotlight on yourself?"

Their next game was against Romania. This time Bill Baker scored the winning goal. And with every win they were getting closer and closer to the medal round they got closer and closer to that inevitable game against the Soviets.

That night the reporters got their wish and then some. The whole team showed up at the press conference with Coach Patrick1. The press went mad.

"Where is Coach Brooks?" One reporter got up to ask.

"Uhh...Herb is unprepared for tomorrow's game," Craig started.

"What are you taking about," O.C. interrupted. "The guy just wants some down time with his family. He can't spend some time with his wife and kids?" Craig gave him a look, as the next question was shouted out:

"Where is Captain, Mike Eruzione?" The boys looked around in confusion mumbling among themselves. "Where's Rizzo?"

"What is with these people," Jack started. "We're here, you'd think that's be good enough. No, _Where's Herb, where's Rizzo?_Jesus Christ." Silky leaned into the microphone.

"Uhh, we don't know," he said in confusion.

* * *

1 My mom gave me this idea in the movie theatre the first time I saw this. I thought it would be interesting to see what would happen.


	14. Chapter 14

This one' short, but I'm going to try to get the next one out fast. And it's going to be the big one. Ya'll are going to kill me when I tell you the idea I have for a three. Anyways here's the next chapter enjoy. Hey CSI fans:

"Let me arrest him for swearing on his grandmother." LMAO!

* * *

"Right here," Rizzo instructed as he moved his hands down Nikki's arms. "It's all in here." He helped her grip the hockey stick awkwardly. They had found a deserted section of a frozen over lake that had been converted into an ice rink for tourists. He had been giving her some ins and outs of hockey.

"Go ahead," he instructed to the makeshift goal between his gloves.

Nikki hit the puck uncomfortably, and it knocked one of the gloves off to the side. She looked over to him I embarrassment.

"Does that count?" she asked. He shrugged and nodded,

"Yea, I'd say that counted," he started. "Then again, I'm sort of freezing. Let's go get some hot chocolate."

"My treat," she offered. He should his head. "I still owe you from that soda," she insisted.

"No," he protested.

"Yes I do," she continued, jabbing him in the stomach with each syllable.

* * *

"They didn't have any whipped cream," Patti started returning with cups of hot cocoa.

"That's alright," Herb said shaking his head.

"You know there was a girl up at the stand that looked exactly like Nikki," she went on as they sipped their drinks, watching Kelly and Danny.

"I got a telegram form a lady in Texas today," Herb started. "You want to know what it said?"

"What?" She asked. Herb shook his head and answered:

"Beat those Commie bastards." They chuckled smally before he went on. "We're playing a hockey game against the greatest team in the world. Why can't we just leave it at that?"

"Because this is more than a hockey game to a lot of people," Patti answered knowingly.

"Yeah and I keep running through them all." He admitted, "Johnson on Mikhailov. Broten on Petrov. Pav against whoever -_ov_. We just...we don't match up, Patti." She laughed lightly to herself.

"You may want to skip that part when you talk to the boys tomorrow," she advised. They laughed

"Wait a minute, what is that?" Herb started up, gazing out onto the ice, where a red headed girl was holding hands with a young man in Hockey skates. "_RIZZO!_" Mike and Nikki looked over in surprise and cautiously skated over.

"Yea, Coach?" He started uneasily.

"What are you _doing_ here?" He demanded.

"What are we doing here?" Nikki returned. "_You_ should be at a press conference."

"No," he started pointing accusingly at them. "You are supposed to be at a press conference." Rizzo's eyes widened as he frowned apprehensively.

"We are?" He asked hesitantly. "You see we've just, been planning on this for a while, and I didn't realize there was a conflict or anything?"

"Wait," Patti interjected. "You've been planning on doing what?" Rizzo looked over to Nikki with wide fearful eyes as she mirrored his expression.

"They don't know?" he asked.

"It's not like I was about to make an announcement," she insisted.

"You didn't tell them," he hissed.

"Tell us what?" Herb ordered.

"Would you have told them," she started.

"Tell us what," Patti demanded.

"Parents," Nikki began. "Rizzo is..." She stopped and you could almost see the light bulb going off above her head. "Teaching me how to play hockey."

"Hockey?" Her mother gaped. Nikki nodded watching her father's jaw drop open.

"I just never got around to telling you guys," she went on. "I'm a hockey fan." She shook her head in shame. "You know these boys are a terrible influence." She pointed at Rizzo accusingly. "I was looking to see if there were any girl's teams."

"Oh you're beautiful teeth," her mother went on. Herb was still in awe.

"Dad?" Nikki asked. "Is that okay with you?"

"Yea honey whatever," he started in puzzlement.

"Right so we'll see you at the hotel," Nikki said, pulling Rizzo away.

"Sorry," Mike called back as they went off.

"That was a close one," she whispered.

"I can't believe they don't know," he returned quietly.

* * *

"Herb," Patti stared, after a few minutes of mental recovery. "Herb, _Herb!_"

"Yea," he answered coming out of his daze at length. She shook her head at him.

"There's no shame in losing to this team," she assured him. "The important thing is you got this far."

"The important thing is that in twenty years those twenty boys know they didn't leave anything sitting on the table," Herb corrected her. "That they know they played their hearts out."


	15. Chapter 15

Nikki sat in the locker room the night of the big game. OC was going to play for the first time in weeks, and Lola was up in the stands waiting faithfully to cheer him on.

_The rocking horse came_

_From an old oak tree_

_Just missed the house_

_When it was hit by lightning_

_My daddy painted that horse_

_A midnight blue_

_Shooting stars and silver horseshoes_

_And it was something magic out of something frightening_

_That's how I live my life_

_I take it as it comes_

_And I find the hidden love_

_When it's pouring down on me_

_In my mind I see_

_The rocking horse inside the tree_

Nikki was carefully observing each of her team mates. Mac was taping up his stick, Mark sat back psyching himself up for this, Jimmy was leaned back in his little corner mumbling something to himself as he rubbed his fingers together; she thought he looked like he was counting Hail Maries. Bah was...trying to light his stick on fire with a blow torchWow that one had her baffled, but there was her loving boyfriend staring himself down in a mirror. She smiled to herself walking over to plant a kiss on his temple and whisper:

"No matter how long you look it's never going to change." He sighed.

"I know, but I can't help it."

"You're nervous," she began knowingly _(Author's shameless interjection: "No dip Sherlock!")_ "You'll do fine."

"Hey," Coach Patrick began, as he approached her. "You're dad said he was going to be a minute. He asked me to tell you to get things started in here."

"'_Get things started'_," she repeated. "Whats that mean?"

"You know, talk to the boys," Craig went on.

"You mean _the_ talk that my dad is supposed to give them like **now**," she said nervously. "I can't do the talk. You need to have time to prepare for things like that."

"It's not that big a deal," he assured her. "He'll be here in five minutes."

"So guys," Nikki began, heading to the middle of the room. "Apparently my dad's a little tied up. And he wants me to get things going in here. I'm not exactly sure what that entails, so this is going to sound really stupid, so bite your tongue and consider this is coming right off the top of my head."

"When I was a little girl, we had this big tree in our backyard, one winter we got a little too much snow and the tree fell over. It missed the house by a matter of inches. The next afternoon my dad came into my room with this absolutely beautiful rocking horse...it was blue I think, with stars and horseshoes painted on. He told me that he had made it out of the tree that, nearly demolished my bedroom.

"He was lying of course. I knew that—I think he bought it at Sears and Roebuck—but it made me happy, because he wasn't lying for himself, to make himself look good. He lied form me. To turn that moment of panic when I thought we were all going to die, into something beautiful, and fun."

_A broken heart_

_Means deeper feelings_

_A thorn in the flesh_

_Means room for healing_

_Oh salt in your tears_

_Can open your eyes_

_Wounded years_

_Make you realize_

_It's just something magic out of something frightening_

_That's how I live my life_

_I take it as it comes_

_And I find the hidden love_

_When it's pouring down on me_

_In my mind I see_

_The rocking horse inside the tree_

"You can look at anything that way, I think," she went on. "A moment of weakness is an opportunity to rise to the challenge. You boys, you trip and fall and giant human Zambonis mow you over and every time you find the strength to get up and go on.

"What I'm basically trying to say is even though this is kinda scary—I know I'm terrified and I'm not even playing. You boys can turn this into something magic, like my rocking horse--No," she cut Mac off. "I don't want you to turn the game a rocking horse—we can turn this into something an entire country can be proud of.

_Things aren't always as they seem_

_Take the nightmare from my dreams_

_That's how I live my life_

_I take it as it comes_

_And I find the hidden love_

_When it's pouring down on me_

_In my mind I see_

_The rocking horse inside the tree __1_

"And whatever happens I just want you all to know meeting you, seeing you, being a part of this family, with the exception of Jack of course he's just my lawyer, has been the greatest experience of my life, and I want to thank you for giving this to me...to my dad...and to America. You guys are something else, and when you get out on that ice just, do what you do best, be strong, and everything will turn out."

"Bravo Nikki," her father sounded behind her.

"Oh thank God," she sighed in relief as her father took over the inspiration train.

* * *

"Great moments," Herb began. "Are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here tonight. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played them ten times they might win nine, but not this game. Tonight we skate with them, tonight we stay with them, and we _shut them down_, because we can!

"You were born to be hockey players, every last one of you, and you were meant to be here tonight. This is your time. Their time is done, it's over. I'm sick and tired of hearing about what a great hockey team the Soviets have—screw them—this your time, now go out and take it."

And with that, the long slow walk out to the ice rink began. Nikki would be cheering her boys from the stands on this one, but they knew she was right in there with them. Coming down the hallway, the walls were lined with letters and telegrams, and as the boys made their way, they would just tap them with their hands or with their stick. It felt good knowing there was a piece of American hearts with them here.

Security held them up for a moment waiting for the 'All Clear.' And then in clumps of about two or three they phased out onto the ice, Rizzo was standing off to the side, patting backs, touching shoulders as they went until he was the last one left.

"Rizzo," Walter called. The young man turned around and got a smack on the helmet. Rizzo smiled and turned to skate out onto the ice after his teammates.

* * *

Nikki trekked up the stairs to find her mom, Lola, Danny, and Kelly waiting for her in their seats.

"We got you some hot chocolate," Lola began handing over the cup. "Is O.C. gonna be able to play?" Nikki nodded refusing the drink politely.

"I don't think I could keep it down," she said noting the nachos in her friends lap with a questioning expression.

"If they lose, Jack comes home with me, if they win I stay here with Jack for a few more games," Lola explained. "The way I see it, either way I win."

"That's a wonderful way of putting it," Nikki shot sarcastically. "Look there's Jimmy's dad. Hi Jimmy's Daddy!" She shouted, waving, over to the other section, but Mr. Craig was too busy exchanging encouraging looks with his son to notice her. "How rude!" she noted, plopping down into her seat.

The boys who started where huddled around the goal with their hands in. "**U.S.A.**" And they skated out to their positions. The puck hit the ice and it was Johnson on Mikhailov.

* * *

1 _The Rocking Horse_, Sara Evans 


	16. Chapter 16

**_Sorry this is such a big long authors note but you absolutely must read it._**

The reason is I've noticed a story that has a few parallels to mine, and uses a lot of the same phrases I've used, ex.

"Coxie wiggled his eyebrows humorously...." Chapter 2 first reviewed 9/4/04

"The boys were shouting encouragement to Jack and Rob. Jimmy was out of his circle, and other boys were coming out to get a better view." Chapter 3 first reviewed 9/5/04

"It was five months to Lake Placid; the team was in Norway, playing the Norwegian National Team, as it were." Chapter 5

"How about you Silky, you going to be the _next_ to quit on me?" Chapter 5. Now if my calculations were correct Silky would have been the first in the movie, or maybe it was an honest mistake. I just thought that one was interesting

Now I am 99.9 sure that stuff came out of my brain, not only the ideas, some of which I at least thought was original at the time, but the wording, and punctuation. I don't really have a big problem with this, but if you like my stuff so much you want to use it:

A.) REVIEW! Please, I live for those e-mails.

B.) Tell me that you would like to use it, please, and keep in mind people might get bored with seeing the same witty comments popping up every time.

C.) If you send them Tipping Cows, I will jump through my computer and kill you. Know that.

So for your entertainment, I present the First Period....dum dum dum, to the tune of _The Crowd Goes Wild._ Enjoy!

* * *

Mikhailov one the face off no problem. Nikki was poised on the edge of her seat as the Soviets perfectly executed their first play and within an span of moments, they had taken their first shot on goal, but the shot was knocked away by Jimmy.

_Oh, c'mon, let it go._

"Keep it out of the middle," Nikki shouted down uselessly, her mother looked at her. Nikki gave her a pleading look. "Everyone knows you got to keep it out of the middle.

Now Silky was streaking up the board with the puck, bounced it off the boards where it was picked up by Petrov, he flew up the center and took another shot on goal. Jimmy was again more than equal to the task.

_He was an underdog; a no threat;  
_

_A NASCAR jockey, a rookie; a wannabe.  
_

_Still wet behind the ears,  
_

_A red-line revver just a-jammin' his gears.  
_

_There are those that are, an' those that ain't.  
_

_The quickest get stickers,  
_

_He was nothin' but paint.  
_

_Chartreuse paint.  
_

Now the puck was out to Morrow, cleared the U.S. Zone, and passed to Mac, who was checked into the stands by Mikhailov. Krutov picked it up and came in for another shot that was deflected away by Jimmy.

After some more fancy footwork and a whole lot of ice shavings, Buzzy picked up the puck behind the net. He started up the boards, but Kasatonov slashed at him, he lost his footing and the puck, sliding a few feet across the rink, before struggling to his feet.

While Nikki was watching Buzz recover from the spill a shot was deflected in.

"It was a slash!" Fans and players were protesting. Refs, they're either young and dumb or old and blind, huh? Even Lola found herself up on her feet and she didn't even know what was going on.

_Big race, now we cut to, the last ten laps:  
_

_Here comes Junior, sneakin' up  
_

_From the back of the pack, with fire in his eyes;  
_

_Wavin' out the window as he passes 'em by.  
_

_The tension mounts: now he's number two;  
_

_All out of rubber an' runnin' on fumes.  
_

_It's door to door, outta turn four:  
_

_He sees those chequers an' he hears that roar.  
_

Mikhailov easily dominated in the face off with Christoff, and in typical Soviet style...or hockey style, actually...this was a fast game...in a matter of seconds Jimmy was put to the test again. Once more he proved his worth to this Olympic team, sending the Puck out to Rizzo. Nikki couldn't suppress a shout of anxiety as he was checked hard into the boards.

Coach pulled Rizzo and sent O.C. in. Mark Johnson was heading down the rink, and could that kid fly. He narrowly avoided a check from Krutov.

Petrov was charging him, but Jack got a great hit on him, the puck went flying out to Buzz who snuck a shot in past Tretiak, with about six minutes left in the game.

_And the crowd goes wild.  
_

_And the crowd goes wild.  
_

_You're shinin' like a superstar, baby,  
_

_And the crowd goes wild._

The fans went nuts This was huge! Nikki was dancing around with Lola, urging the crowd to cheer on waving her arms and screaming as poor tiny Buzzy was buried under a mountain of American hockey players. Patti and Danny and Kelly were all cheering happily.

Unfortunately the glory was short lived as team USSR wasted now time in taking the lead again. Petrov passed the puck up to Krutov. Krutov took a shot that Jimmy knocked away, but Makarov maneuvered around Morrow with the rebound and scored.

_He played the honky-tonks, the roadside bars,_

_A real humdinger; a blue-eyed singer  
_

_With a red guitar around his neck  
_

_Paying them dues by starving to death  
_

_But he told his Momma every time he came back,  
_

_"One of these days I'm gonna buy you, a big long Cadillac.  
_

_"And get you outta this shack." _

The crowd was out raged as there was a chorus of boos going around before the chant of _USA_ as assumed.

Down on the bench Rizzo was gazing up into the stands and smiling.

"Sounds like your girlfriend's back from the bathroom O.C.," he noted humorously.

"You're not shitting me," O.C. agreed, with a slight laugh.

_Then he hit the road, fronting the band.  
Six long hairs bobbing up and down,  
In a Chevy van, all beat up;  
He did a lotta giving but he never gave up.  
Then one night, he wrote a song.  
Made a little record; started catching on.  
Now it's coliseums, he's all the rage:  
The lights go down when he hits the stage_

Again the Soviets one the face off, and as usual they stormed straight down the middle of the rink, flew past the defense, and took a shot on goal, blocked by Jimmy. Cheers erupted from the crowd as time began to wind this period down.

"Out of the middle!" Herb ordered.

"If we can end this quarter just one down," Nikki admitted. "It'll be good." Lola nodded. This seemed the case, as Jimmy was able to block two more shots. The puck went out to Christian, who took a long shot as Coach sent Johnson in.

Tretiak made the easy save only to have the rebound go to Mark who came in and scored at one second left in the period.

_  
  
And the crowd goes wild.  
And the crowd goes wild.  
You're shining like a superstar, baby,  
And the crowd goes wild. (1)_

Nikki jumped up screaming as another All American Dog Pile was formulated out on the ice.

"Come on," Nikki urged, grabbing her friend's wrist, dragging her down the stairs to congratulate the team for tying it up.

The security guard stopped them at the bottom of the stairs.

"Wait a minute ladies, you can't be down here," he said.

"What are you talking about," Nikki yelled into his face. That's my family out there! Get out of my way." She pushed past, pulling Lola behind her. Lola looked back at the stunned officer and laughed.

"Ohh," she started up indignantly. "Ya'll sucka's got served."

Nikki was handing out hugs coming down to the team USA bunker. She counted making sure she got everyone. Jannie, Broten, Jimmy, Coach Pat, Morrow, Silky, Phillie, Doc, Christian, OC, Rizzo, Baker, Mac, Daddy, Strobel, Johnson, Rammer, Christoff, Wells, Suter, Bah, Pav, and Buzzy got two. That pretty much covered it.

"You boys just put the best goal tender in the world on the bench," Her father put in proudly, noting Tretiak on the bench for the first time in these Olympics.

"That's Tretiak," Nikki gasped looking over. "Oh my got he's hott! I want to go give him a hug." A series of heads flipped over to glare at her, but the face she was worried about was Rizzo's. He gave her an innocent look with his bottom lip stuck out, looking like a needy puppy. "I mean grr...Soviets! So not my type."

The girls settled into the bench next to the players to get the second period up close, and personal

* * *

1 _And the Crowd Goes Wild, _Mark Wills


	17. Chapter 17

* * *

Author's Note: Seeing as this story is winding down, though I'm planning on carrying it a little further than the movie went, I just thought I'd give you the drill for the sequel.

If at all possible, I'd like to get a hundred reviews before I post the sequel. Please, please pretty please review my story. Wow don't I sound desperate.

* * *

The slight gap between periods one and two was probably one of the most eventful periods. In all his years of playing and coaching, surprisingly, Herb Brooks had never seen two hockey players get in a fight on the rink over a girl. Of course, then there had been no Lola.

_Yesterday I went shopping buddy down to the mall_

_Looking for something pretty I could hang on my wall_

_I knocked over a lamp before it hit the floor I caught it_

_A salesman turned around said, "Boy, you break that thing you bought it"_

_You can look but you better not touch boy_

_You can look but you better not touch boy_

_Mess around and you'll end up in ditch boy_

Mr. Mikhailov was completely tuning out his coach and staring at Lola through the Plexiglas. When Lola finally did notice she smiled uneasily and humored him with a slight way. Needless to say, when Jack notice he went off.

_Well I came home from work and I switched on Channel 5  
There was a pretty little girly looking straight into my eyes  
__Well I watched as she wiggled back and forth across the screen  
__She didn't get me excited she just made me feel mean._

_You can look but you better not touch boy  
__You can look but you better not touch boy  
__Mess around and you'll end up in ditch boy  
__You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch  
__You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch_

He stormed over hand banged on the boards, gathering everyone's attention.

"You want to say something," he demanded cockily.

"Jack," Lola started putting a hand on his chest.

"No, I'm not taking this," he insisted.

"They'll throw you out of the game," she warned.

"If I get one shot it'll be worth it," he assured her.

_Well I called up Dirty Annie on the telephone  
I took her out to the drive-in just to get her alone  
I found a lover's rendezvous, the music low, set to park  
I heard a tapping on the window and a voice in the dark  
_

"No it won't," Lola insisted as teammates from both sides were pulling the brawling hockey players apart as insults were being exchanged.

"OC!" Herb yelled. "You sit your ass down. NOW!" So Jack flipped the Russian the bird and plopped down in his seat.

Lola set herself down next to Nikki who was pouting, beside herself.

"Why don't Russians check me out?" she wondered aloud. Lola wrapped an arm around her friend.

"You're way too classy for them," she assured her kindly. "Besides, I can imagine your dad going straight through that wall and beating the living shit out of that guy." Nikki laughed, comforted.

"It would definitely be bad for Coach to be thrown out of the stadium," Nikki agreed.

"Besides," Lola added in a stealthy whisper. "Don't you think Rizzo is way cuter than that guy...and less scary? Yes much less scary." Nikki let out a gasp.

"You guys know," she stated.

"Please, I am your best friend, we practically share a brain." Lola said. "Remember: 'Three halves of a whole idiot.'"

_You can look but you better not touch boy  
__You can look but you better not touch boy  
__Mess around and you'll end up in ditch boy  
__You can look but you better not, no you better not, no you better not touch._ (1)

* * *

The face off at the start of the second period went to the Soviets...again. The Conehead line was up now though. Krutov made a flawless centering pass, but Jimmy knocked the shot away. People cheered, as there were several calls of "Atta boy, Jimmy!"

"Way to go Jimmy!" Nikki screamed pointedly.

Bah flew up the center of the ice, managed by some God given miracle to get passed the defense. He had a breakaway, it was one on one, but the shot was blocked by Myshkin.

"Nice shot," Nikki called encouragingly. "Just keep driving that goal."

"Good job boys lets keep it going," Lola called out onto the ice.

The puck had gone out to Fetisov, who passed it up to Maltseve, he took a shot at the goal, Jimmy swatted it away, when Kharlamov took him down, Maltseve picked up the rebound and scored on an open goal. Then came the buzzer, and Jimmy wasn't getting up.

"Oh no," Nikki held her breath; it was never good when they didn't get up. She remembered Jack in the Madison Square Garden game.

The only thing different now was that Jimmy anchored this team. He had been out on the ice every minute of every game here at Lake Placid. No one knew how the team would fair without him. Coach Brooks was giving Jannie a look as if to say, get yourself ready.

"You had to say it didn't you," Jack shot at Nikki angrily. "You had to jinx us, and get Craig mowed over by a one man brute squad."

"You're blaming this on me," she shot. "I don't think so."

The boys out on the ice were crowded around Jimmy.

"Are you okay," Mac asked uneasily. No answer. "Jimmy, do you need Doc?"

"No, I'm okay," Jimmy finally answered, as he began to collect himself. "Just give me a minute."

"Take your time," Mac urged. "Take you time."

Jimmy flashed back to running into that stupid cow. He remembered how it knocked his breath out of him and made him feel dizzy and stupid, but now all he could think about was how this was ten times worse than that.

There was applause of pride as he got to his feet. Boys were banging on the boards, and he could definitely hear his father in the crowd, so he followed his father's favorite bit of advice: "Soldier up and get the job done."

That was the end of the second period, and the scoreboard showed Soviets 3 USA 2.

* * *

1 _You Can Look (But You Better Not Touch)_ Lyrics, Bruce Springsteen.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: **Argh! 92? I'm dying, I'm dying...I'm dead **X-l**

**Saturniia**: Just for you I changed the last chapter from rollerblades to the cow tipping incident :-)

* * *

Jimmy was sitting in the goal out on the ice with his mask up, breathing deeply in preparation for the third period. Herb called all the boys in before the face off, to the echoing chant of "USA!"

_We call them cool  
Those hearts that have no scars to show  
The ones that never do let go  
And risk the tables being turned.  
_

"Listen to them," Herb urged them all. "That's what you've done—we can beat these guys. We've come from behind in every game so far and we can do it again."

"Herb, get your boys out on the ice," the ref ordered.

"Wait a minute, wait a minute," Nikki urged jumping over the boards.

"Nikki you can't do that," Coach ordered her.

"Come on, come here, huddle up. We used to do this before dance competitions." She pulled the boys into a big huddle and started jumping up and down. Lola was jumping up and down on the bench excited the crowd as Nikki and the boys were screaming "USA! USA! USA!" at the top of their lungs.

_We call them fools  
Who have to dance within the flame  
Who chance the sorrow and the shame  
That always comes with getting burned.  
But you've got to be tough when consumed by desire  
'Cause it's not enough just to stand outside the fire_

"Louder," Nikki ordered. "Who do you play for?"

"USA!" Was the euonymus answer before the boys skated out to their positions on the ice.

Johnson was facing off with Mikhailov. Mark looked the big scary Russian dead in the eye and gave it to him straight right there: "I am going to kick your butt." Kick his but he did, Johnson won the face off and sent the puck out to Ramsey.

_We call them strong  
Those who can face this world alone  
Who seem to get by on their own  
Those who will never take the fall._

Ramsey passed back to him, and he took the first shot, but it was deflected by Myshkin. The goalie sent the puck out to Kasatonov, who passed to Kharlamov, who passed to Mikhailov, who shot on the USA goal.

"Thatta way Jimmy," Mark Johnson called enthusiastically.

_We call them weak  
Who are unable to resist  
The slightest chance love might exist  
And for that forsake it all.  
They're so hell-bent on giving; walking a wire  
Convinced it's not living if you stand outside the fire._

Jimmy successfully deflected that shot and three more before the puck went out to Christian. Kasatonov was penalized for slashing, which gave the US a two minute power play. Herb sent the Coneheads out.

"There we go Buzzy," Rizzo encouraged.

_Standing outside the fire  
Standing outside the fire  
Life is not tried, it is merely survived  
If you're standing outside the fire._

OC had the puck sent it up to Bah inside the Soviet blue line. Bah sent it to Rammer, who passed over to Buzz. Buzzy took a shot that was blocked by Myshkin. Bylialetdinov cleared the zone. Johnson picked up the puck in the neutral zone and passed over to OC.

OC took a shot that was saved by Myshkin. The Soviets, wrapped the puck around the boards to clear the defense zone.

"16 second! 16 seconds," Jimmy called out onto the ice. Noting the time left for the penalty.

_There's this love that is burning  
Deep in my soul  
Constantly yearning to get out of control  
Wanting to fly higher and higher  
I can't abide  
Standing outside the fire._

"Johnson go!" Herb ordered. Johnson jumped over the boards and went streaking down the ice. Silky was heading down the center of the ice with the puck.

"Silky, Silky, I'm with you," he called over to his teammate. Silk passed over to him before being sandwiched by two burly Russians. Johnson was headed up the center with the puck, found a shot...and scored.

_Standing outside the fire  
Standing outside the fire  
Life is not tried, it is merely survived  
If you're standing outside the fire. _

The boys were going nuts; the game was tied at three with about 15 minutes left in the third period. They were actually doing it. They were actually out skating the Soviet team, this late in the game it was amazing, and obviously cause for celebration, however:

"It's just one goal," Coach Brooks reminded them solemnly as the boys came back to the bench, but Nikki couldn't suppress a laugh looking over and seeing how incredibly irked the Russian coach was...(_A/N: I'm sorry, but for the life of me, I couldn't figure out how to spell his name,_)

'And is he stroking his eyebrow...' she pondered shamelessly to herself. 'Okay now that was just a little creepy. Mmm Hmm, scary, scary man.'

This time the face of was controlled by the Russians, in seconds Kasatonov went in for a shot, it went wide. Makarov picked up the rebound for a second shot, that Jimmy caught in his glove. Bah came around the net with it.

"Rizzo go," Coach sent Rizzo out on the ice as Bah passed over to Buzzy. Buzzy sent it up to Pav.

"Pav, Pav," Rizzo called for the puck. Pav sent the puck over, and Rizzo took a shot at the goal...and scored.

One word: chaos. They were ahead. Nikki stood with her hand pressed over her mouth in compete shock, before she started screaming. Rizzo was running up the boards triumphantly, when the rest of the team sort of took him out.

Coming back to the bench the boys were still hyped up, and let loose random: _Woo Hoo_'s and so forth.

"Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes!" Nikki declared exuberantly, jumping up on Rizzo, sending them both flying into the Plexiglas. "We're winning! I love you," she planted a big wet kiss on his face, overdramatically. Quite frankly Herb didn't care what she did right now, as long as the score stayed where it was.

"Hey how come I didn't get a kiss?" Buzzy moaned in complaint.

"I'm sorry, Buzzy," she cooed mischievously, coming up beside him. "Let me fix that." She grabbed his chin and licked his face.

"Hey," he started, wiping his face frantically. "Gross. I'm already all soaked is sweat, you had to lick me too?" She nodded. Buzzy looked craftily over to Johnson. "He scored twice," he said pointing accusingly.

"Oh he did, did he," Nikki went on, eyeing him.

"Coach!" Mark yelled hurriedly.

"Shut up," Herb ordered indignantly watching the game progress.

Petrov passed to Maltseve, he took a shot, Jimmy made the save with his stick.

"Atta boy Jimmy," the team encouraged, banging on the boards. Kasatov took a second shot that went wide of the goal. There came another shot from Petrov that Jimmy knocked away. The rebound went out to Mac who cleared it.

"Short shifts," Brooks yelled down the line of players. "Thirty to forty seconds. Doc, watch the time." Nikki could feel her stomach doing flip flops as Jimmy made a sliding save. If they didn't get the puck out of there soon she was going to be sick.

"Switch," Coach ordered.

"Get it out," Mac called over to the defense as Morrow finally managed to clear it. Nikki looked up at the clock. Five minutes, and Mikhailov was plowing up the center, and took a powerful slap shot. Jimmy knocked it away.

Lola whooped in appreciation. "There we go Jimmy, atta way!" She called enthusiastically. Nikki gave her a proud smile.

Rammer passed over to Pav, who was checked into the boards. Kharlamov picked it up and passed to Petrov who drove straight up to the goal, but that was stopped by Jimmy.

"Play your game," Brooks encouraged. "Play your game."

It was a loose puck, Buzzy was fighting for it with Krutov at the point. He kicked it loose to Mac.

"Chip it out," Coach Patrick yelled. Mac took it out to the neutral zone, as Coach called for another switch. Now Mac was scrambling for it, and Rammer got a huge hit. Nikki looked up at a clock reading 2:17. This would end in glory or devastation; there was no middle ground for things like this.

Kharlamov sent a pass over to Petrov. Petrov tried a shot, but Jimmy made the save. The rebound went out to Maltseve, and then came another save. Goony, scary, Russian coach (_once again he shall not be named,_) was shouting out onto the ice, but nothing was happening.

"They're not pulling Myshkin," Coach Pat noticed.

"They don't know what to do," Herb laughed. Even now they were driving the goal hard, every time Jimmy would go to make a spectacular save, both Nikki and Lola found themselves catching their breath in their throat.

Time was still winding down, now the Russian team was on their feet, shouting out to the ice, finally loosing that "take no prisoners" composure they were so famous for up until now, a minute and eighteen seconds left in the game.

More shots were fired, but Jimmy was...well...he was just plain on fire at this point, and no one was more proud than his father cheering him on up in the stands. Eleven seconds to go and the countdown began.

"Ten, Nine—" Nikki swallowed hard, trying to calm her pounding heart.

"Eight, Seven—" She reached out and felt a hand take hers.

"Six, Five—" She looked over to find that she and Lola had reached for each other at the same time.

"Four, Three—" Nikki closed her eyes and said a silent prayer: 'Please God. Let the team hang in there for...'

"Two—" Now the buzzed sounded in her ear, the most welcome sound in the world. The scoreboard read USSR 3 USA 4.

The crowd erupted in ecstatic cheers. The team stormed the ice to share in the excitement. Coach Patrick was out there and wound up giving Mark Johnson a big hug and swinging the hockey player around off his feet.

Team USSR looked on in utter astonishment. They had lost, that didn't happen, it just didn't happen. It was an unspoken rule that Soviet teams, Soviet athletes did not lose. It was like one of the signs of the apocalypse...or a miracle.

The coach slipped out quietly as random civilians stormed through security and made their way out to the ice. Photographers were everywhere.

Lola rushed out to the ice and into Jack's arms, where she was content to stay for the majority of the celebration. Nikki on the other hand was running around handing out hugs and kisses and shouts of ecstasy.

She came up to Jimmy, who had a flag draped over his shoulders, and found him with this blonde girl pointing up to his father in the stands.

"Jimmy," she started cautiously. "Who is this?"

"This is...um," he started, "My girlfriend, Lindy." 'Oh God, please, if there is a God,' Jimmy pleaded silently. 'Let Nikki not be horny today. Not in front of my girlfriend.'

"Hi I'm Nikki," she started chipperly, shaking the girl's hand. "Nice to meet you, have you seen Rizzo?" Jimmy pointed in a total state of shock. 'Thank You!'

Nikki found Rizzo at the other end of the ice, sort of sunk back in the corner with a few of the other guys, and wrapped her arms around him. As he rocked her back and forth easily, she rested her head on his chest.

"You did it," she said beaming proudly.

"Not with out you," he answered.

"Don't be so cliché," she warned. "It doesn't become you at all."

Herb's POV:

_Two days later the miracle was made complete. My boys defeated Finland to win the gold medal, coming from behind once again. As I watched them out there, celebrating on the ice, I realized that Patti had been right. It was a lot more than a hockey game. Not only for those who watched it, but for those who played in it. _

_I've often been asked in the years since Lake Placid what was the best moment for me. Well, it was here - the sight of 20 young men of such differing backgrounds now standing as one. Young men willing to sacrifice so much of themselves all for an unknown. I still have a picture in my head, of Nikki rushing up to the platform after them, and Rizzo lifting her off her feet. She kissed him there, in front of everyone. That really cleared up a lot of things for me._

_A few years later, the U.S. began using professional athletes at the Games - Dream Teams. I always found that term ironic because now that we have Dream Teams, we seldom ever get to dream. But on one weekend, as America and the world watched, a group of remarkable young men gave the nation what it needed most - a chance, for one night, not only to dream, but a chance, once again, to believe._

* * *

Is that it? Is it over. I think not...I was going to add a charity ball type thing onto the end as a lead in for number two. Is that okay with everyone. Now be a good reader and hit the little blue button. 


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: Yes! One Hundred, my happy number. Does we all want to know what the sequel is about? If you haven't figured out you can wait, I think you can wait.

I guess this would have to be the reaction chapter: Nikki's reaction to winning the game, and Herb's reaction to Nikki and Mike. It was kind of hard to write, so hopefully it doesn't suck too bad.

* * *

Nikki's POV:

_I can't believe it's finally over, I can't believe we actually won. Do you know that feeling when you've worked for something for so long, and then it final happens and you're in the lime light, and your life is never going to be the same? That's how I feel right now. There's this excitement and dread constantly in my stomach, and I don't know how I'm supposed to feel._

_The minute that buzzer sounded and I knew that we had won, I wanted to rush out onto the ice and just kiss Mike like there was no tomorrow, but I didn't, right now I wish I had. It would have been easier for my dad to have known then, instead of him receiving the surprise with the rest of posterity at the medal ceremony. Boy was he ever mad._

_I didn't expect my social life to be headed anywhere too soon after that—I even got the _"It's not so much what you did, but the fact that you lied to me and your mother"_ speech—but when I heard about the charity ball for the Special Olympics I just knew we had to do it. The team was just a promotional stunt to get people to buy really expensive tickets, and we get free food._

_I'm really excited about seeing all the guys again, especially Rizzo, but I think the first thing we aught to do is try to explain things a little better to my dad. _

_I know I didn't do much other than grab Jimmy's ass now and then, but if they ever make a movie out of this, I sure as hell better be in it_

The boys were gathered together for the first time in a few months since lake Placid, at La Fontaine Bleue dining hall in Colorado Springs, for a promotion for the Special Olympics. As they came together in the front lobby by the elaborate fountain, anyone could tell they were all glad to see each other again.

* * *

"Jimmy Craig," the voice of Jack O'Callahan rang through the clamor. Jimmy turned away from Lindy to greet his old friend. "What's up you sieve?" Jimmy's brow knitted in amusement.

"Why do you always say that?" He asked with a smile.

"I always say that," Jack inquired. Jimmy nodded, OC shrugged. "I never noticed. Hey have you seen Lola yet?"

"She and Nikki just headed over to the ladies' room," Jimmy answered.

"What is it with girls going to the bathroom in pairs?" Jack pondered aloud.

"Maybe the need help going or something?" Jimmy suggested, only to be smacked on the arm with his girlfriends purse. "I mean, I don't mean you," he defended quickly. "You're not a girl you're a woman—lady." Lindy shook her head.

"Silky, hey," Rizzo started, flagging his teammate down amidst the crowd. "Have you seen Nikki?"

"What am I your personal conduit to Mini-Herbie?" He asked in annoyance. "Do you ever flag Mini-Herbie down and say 'Hey Mini-Herbie, have you seen Silky?'"

"Okay sure," Mike said spacing out looking through the crowd.

"Good-Bye," Silky called after him, waving his arms out in annoyance.

Nikki came out of the powder room, and spotted the one person she needed to see.

"Rizzo," she came up behind him and touched his shoulder.

"Nikki, hey sweetie how have you been?" He asked leaning over and kissing her cheek gently. She looked beautiful to him in a long black satin dress with a V-neck and a slit far up one side, her hair was curled and piled on top of her head.

"I've been good," she assured him, hugging him around his neck.

"Contacts," he noted the lack of her oversized John Denver spectacles. (1)

"Pink tie," she returned, flipping his tie up into his face. "Does wonders for your complexion. I'd love to go on complimenting you, but I think we need to explain some things to my dad."

"I know," he answered.

"Yea," she went on with a smile. "I don't think he understands the..."

"Nature," Mike suggested. She nodded.

"Of our relationship," she finished. "Yea, good, we're on the same wave length. Let's do this, before I lose my appetite."

"Yea, the French have the best food," he agreed, lacing his fingers with hers. "Did you try those...uhh—"

"Hors d'oeuvres," she answered.

"That's the word," he agreed, as the entered the dimly lit dining room to the sound of the band playing on the stage. The band wasn't French though and it didn't quite fit the atmosphere.

Rizzo had his arm wrapped around her waist in the dark, and she was leaning into him for the comfort of his heart beating in her ear.

_If I had a weakness  
You sure found it tonight  
some hidden desperation  
You saw floating in my eyes  
Moments just like these baby  
Wrong can feel so right  
And I don't wanna go home tonight  
_

"Hey daddy," Nikki began quietly, pulling smoothly away from Mike as she flagged her father down.

"Coach," Rizzo greeted him with a smiling. Herb narrowed his eyes.

"I'm not your coach anymore Rizzo," he shot harshly. Rizzo's eyes widened, as he drew back slightly.

"Oh, um, sorry," the young man defended.

"Dad, can we please talk. The three of us, somewhere quietly," Nikki went on. "Please."

"What do we need to talk about," Herb questioned, continuing to stare down Rizzo, quite effectively.

"You think there's something here that isn't," she said, noting her father's disposition. "Can we please do this somewhere not in the public eye."

The three went back into the bride's room and sat down on the couch. Neither Nikki nor Mike was exactly sure how to handle this, but they both knew it had to be done if any of the three of them were going to be happy.

_I've held it all together  
As long as I can  
There's pieces of me falling  
Right into your hands  
And don't the lies come easy baby  
When the truth just ain't worth the fight  
No I, I don't wanna go home tonight_

"Dad," Nikki began. "Mike and I have been..."

"Involved," Rizzo put in.

"For a while," she went on.

"Since when?" her father pressed. Rizzo took the initiative on this one.

"It probably began that day when you yelled at me sat me down on the bench for the whole practice for the first time, we started talking..."

"It sort of progressed from there I think," Nikki finished.

"But never into anything inappropriate," Rizzo went on. "For our..."

"Level of commitment to one another," Nikki filled in tactfully, as Rizzo took his hand in hers, squeezing it gently, comfortingly. She smiled at him and they both knew, however it happened they were going to get through this together, just like all the other shit that got in their way.

For him there were no more questions of ability. There was no more wondering if he had what it took to be happy, to make someone happy with him. He knew they were in love. For Nikki there was no more self-doubt, Mike made her know she was a treasure worth the wait, worth the fight, she was worth whatever. Love was forever.

_So lay me down easy  
And hold on tight  
And tell me I'm the only one you see tonight  
Lonely woman, lonely man  
There's just some things only lonely understands_

"Like the night you found Rizzo, Lola, Jack, and I in my room at the hotel." Nikki offered, still having Mike's hand in hers. "Nothing went on there, except Rizzo went to walk me to my room after we had gone out.

"Then I hit my shoulder, and he just went to set it back in place so I wouldn't have to spend the night in a hospital. He was just trying to help me. That's all, I did something stupid, and he just wanted to help."

_  
_"Apparently Jack and Lola didn't trust us," Rizzo continued. "Lola came in, and she had her shirt off so I could see her shoulder and Jack ran in, and he slipped...and well...you know."

"All fall down," Nikki concluded in a sing song voice. "The point is, we did what we did—or rather didn't do—we have no reason to regret any of it, except not coming clean—"

"And I want to apologize for that," Mike cut her off. "It was entirely my fault." Nikki shook her head in protest.

"No it was me," she insisted. "I was being selfish I guess, I just didn't want you telling me who I could, or could not be in a relationship with. I didn't want you to take it out on him. Do you understand?"

"There is nothing to understand," Herb shot. "This is _unacceptable_!"

"Unacceptable?" She fumed. "Unacceptable. What's unacceptable about it."

"First of all," Herb began. "You are barely twenty, he's twenty-six."

"Going to be twenty-six," Mike corrected.

"It doesn't matter," Nikki protested.

"To hell with 'doesn't matter'," Herb shot back, losing his temper. "You're going to college, and you're going to spend time in the Peace Corps. And you're going to change the world. You're not going to throw the rest of your life away, trying to have a relationship with a hockey player."

_I might be just a sinner  
Who wants to be a saint  
One justifies the reason  
Oh, one understands the pain  
And I don't know what's wrong baby  
And I sure don't know what's right  
But I don't wanna go home tonight_

"I am going to spend the rest of my life with him," Nikki returned with the hint of revelation in her eyes. "I..."

"Don't you use that word," her father protested immediately.

"I love him," she concluded. "I'm going to marry him."

"You are?" Rizzo stated in blatant shock. Herb gave him a look. "I mean that's good, but we haven't talked about..."

"Maybe we'll start a school for underprivileged children in Nicaragua together, then I want a house in Danvers with a white picket fence and blue shutters...and a big kitchen," she went on fervently making her point. "Cause we're going to have at least a dozen kids."

"Wow," Mike started. "Maybe we can discuss life plans a little later, okay please." Nikki looked over to him with disappointment in her eyes, her happy little dream dampened.

"I mean I want kids," he corrected himself. "Just not right this second."

"You're both crazy," Herb told them firmly.

"Maybe we are crazy," Rizzo told him. "But even crazy people can be happy if they're in love." And even a moron could recognize the adoration in his eyes, when he smiled at the young lady on the sofa beside him.

_So lay me down easy  
And hold on tight  
And tell me I'm the only one you see tonight  
Lonely woman, lonely man  
There's just some things only lonely understands (__2)_

* * *

A/N: Relax more to come, and hopefully it will be better written! Where Rizzo will pop a very important question.

1 Random Fact: The contact lens was made possible in 1948 by Kevin Tuohy, who invented the soft plastic used to make the lenses, however the original idea was developed in 1888 by Adolph Fick.

2 _Tonight_, Sara Evans; Yes I understand it isn't period, but whenever I hear it I just think of this and I get this fuzzy feeling inside. Oh it feels so nice and warm.


	20. Chapter 20

19

Nikki observed her boys sitting down to eat at groups of round tables in the dining room, many of then had brought along family, friends, and girlfriends. She was determined to get to meet everyone there. So as her parents were having an incredibly boring discussion with one of those people who do nothing but organize charity events like this she grabbed Rizzo by the arm and dragged him around as she went to talk with everyone.

She remembered Jimmy's dad and Lindy, Buzzy introduced them to his girlfriend Gretchen, who was an absolute doll, by the way—they definitely would have qualified for cutest couple in her high school yearbook—Mark had brought along his girlfriend from Wisconsin. Her name was Angela; she seemed nice. Silky, Bah, and Baker had their parents tagging along and were skillfully trying to avoid having to admit they were with mom and dad.

Once the food had been served that evening Nikki found herself facing her mother in the sitting room just outside the restrooms.

"So do you want to talk about this?" Patti asked her daughter knowingly, sitting down on the overstuffed chair next to her daughter. Nikki set her head on her mother's shoulder.

"Dad doesn't like it," Nikki told her uneasily.

"Neither do I," her mother answered gently. "But I understand. I know we raised you the best that we could, and that the choices you make are yours to make." Nikki laughed in spite of herself.

"Daddy doesn't understand." She told her mother in confidence. "I'm twenty years old and he still wants to treat me like some confused love struck tween. He's got one thick head." Patti huffed and rolled her eyes.

"He is stubborn," she admitted to her daughter. "He's a hockey player."

"You married him," Nikki reminded her. Patti laughed and nodded. "Why?" Nikki pressed.

"When he's stubborn—which he is most of the time—he is _very_ stubborn, but, it works both ways. When he's romantic and loving, he can make you know he thinks you're the most important thing in the world."

"He makes me feel that way sometimes too," Nikki answered.

"He loves you," Patti assured her. "And he just wants to protect you."

After diner had been cleared up the boys were expected to make friendly with the reporters. They were all sitting up at the long dining table with Coaches Brooks and Patrick, as the press was shouting out questions.

"What was the hardest thing for the team during your experience in the Olympics?" One inquiry was shouted out. The boys looked to each other thoughtfully before Jannie supplied an answer.

"Playing the 'let's see how many people we can squish onto the podium game.' That was not a good idea." He glared over to Mike as the boys chorused into agreement. "Yea, definitely."

"It was just so demanding," O.C. dragged out.

"Mentally and physically," Jimmy nodded in agreement.

"Yea," Buzzy went on. "Bah stepped on me."

"I fell off," Ken Morrow put in his harrowing tale. Before the boys could start chatting among themselves again the journalists were shouting out more questions.

"How long have Mike Eruzione and Nikki Brooks been involved?" Was the next query shouted out. Rizzo shifted uneasily in his seat when Herb answered.

"What does that have to do with the Olympics?" He attacked the reported. No answer. "You figure out how that is related to the Olympics and he'll answer, until then, if there are any more questions about my daughter we are walking out of here."

"Yea, don't ask about his daughter," O.C. told them pointedly, then picked up his tone enthusiastically. "Any other questions?" And once again the reporters were off running their mouths.

* * *

After the brief conference the band started playing again, and people were being encouraged to get up and dance, but as it got later, no one seemed to keen on dancing.

Nikki was sitting at a table with her parents, Lola, Zack, and Jenna when Mike came up behind her and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Who do you think you are?" he asked in mock frustration.

"What?" she inquired cluelessly.

"I have been waiting all night for you to come over and drag me out to the dance floor and you never did," he shot playfully. "Do you know how many girls I had to turn down?"

"Oh I'm sorry," she laughed lightly. "I just didn't feel much like dancing."

"What about now?" he asked hopefully. Nikki shook her head.

"I don't think so," she started guiltily. She looked up at the saddest, most lovingly sincere eyes she had ever seen.

"Please?" He pressed once more. Nikki sighed in defeat.

"Alright," she said taking his hand. "One dance."

_When I look at you  
I see the souls of our unborn children  
If I reach for you  
Will you take my hand  
Are you willing  
_

"We're the only ones dancing," Nikki said nervously as the got out on the floor.

"It doesn't matter what they do," Rizzo promised her as she leaned into him.

"We probably look like idiots," she protested.

"Doesn't matter," he promised her as they rocked gently back and forth.

_You turn more than the music on  
But will you be there by my side at the dawn  
Then I'll say  
  
All right, I give in  
I will dance with you just this one time  
And all night  
We will turn and spin  
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise  
And you offer love  
And it all begins when I say  
All right, I give in  
_

"Why don't you do romantic stuff like that?" Lola shot, smacking Jack on the arm with her purse.

"Because I don't want to dance," he protested.

"Jack O'Callahan, if you love me you will dance with me **right now**!"

"Love?" he started nervously. "You see love is a very strong word."

"Jack," she started, big tears springing into her hazel eyes.

"Dancing," he answered faithfully, pulling her out in front of the stage.

Nikki laughed watching her friends out of the corner of her eye as she gently rubbed her nose against Mike's face. She was sure she was in heaven, swaying gently, spinning lightly in strong, familiar arms.

-

"They sure look like they're having fun," Lindy cooed in Jimmy's ear.

"Are you kidding," he jested. "That's like slave labor." Lindy shot him a venomous glare, and if looks could kill he would have been gone faster than a '59 Cadillac.

"I mean, 'Yea, fun, woo hoo, let's do it'," he answered in mock enthusiasm allowing her to pull him out on the floor.

"We're setting a trend," Nikki told Mike with a smile on her face.

_If I sing for you  
Would it be the sweetest sound you've ever heard  
And if I pray for you  
Will you know that I believe in every word_

Gretchen watched the dancing couples and looked over to Buzz and stuck her bottom lip out pleadingly.

"Don't you give me that look," he told her desperately. Her eyes began to well up as she continued to stare at him hopefully.

"I don't dance," he reminded her. Her lower lip began to tremble and he caved. "Alright," he declared, throwing his arms up. "How can I say no?"

"You can't," she reminded him cheerily. "I've got you wrapped around my little finger."

-

"Please?" Angela pressed desperately.

"No," Mark shot at her.

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"No!"

"Please?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?" He exclaimed in exasperation.

"Please?"

"Oh, alright!" He consented as she gleefully led him out on the floor.

_You build me a house on stone  
Will you promise me I'm never gonna be alone  
Then I'll say...  
_

_All right, I give in  
I will dance with you just this one time  
And all night  
We will turn and spin  
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise  
And you offer love  
And it all begins when I say  
All right, I give in_

Mike had her fingers laced with his as the rocked easily this way and that, he spun her once and wrapped his arms around her. She leaned her head back into him as they turned slowly when a flash went off in the darkness.

She reached up and covered her eyes in annoyance as she was startled out of the comfort of her boyfriend's arms.

"We have a paparazzi," Mike warned her. "And it looks like your dad is about to take him out."

Nicolette watched in good humor as her father chased the journalist down and grabbed the camera out of his hands. As her father pulled the film out and threw it across the room, she let out a laugh, before she settled back into Mike for the remainder of the evening.

After dispelling the demon photographer, Herb went over beside his wife.

"So," she began. "Are we just going to stand here and let the kids have all the fun or are we going to go out there and show them how to cut a rug?" Herb shook his head going to dance with his wife.

Nikki couldn't hold back the gleeful laugh seeing her father and mother coming out on the dance floor.

"Yea, mom!" She cheered happily.

"Way to go coach!" She heard O.C. supply. Another moment later the song had ended and another one began.

"I think I'm done," she admitted going to sit down. "I'm getting tired." That was when Mike put a hand on her thigh and picked her up on his knee.

"Better or worse?" he asked as she nestle her head over his shoulder and smooched his cheek noisily besides his ear.

_You turn more than the music on  
But will you be there by my side at the dawn  
Then I say...  
_

_All right, I give in  
I will dance with you just this one time  
And all night  
We will turn and spin  
Then stand eye to eye at the sunrise  
And you offer love  
And it all begins when I say  
All right, I give in_ _(1)_

That moment was a complete revelation for Nikki. It was a moment when you understood, understanding because you've lived it, the meaning of true love: two bodies, one soul.

He was so much stronger than her, and the best part was that he was going to protect her. She was sure the moment she found herself in his arms; it was quite late and they were both somewhat drained from the evenings events, but he was still going to make her as comfortable as he could. And what was more, they were looking straight into one another's eyes. He kept her at his level, even though she was a good five or six inches taller than her. She felt more love in that one instant then she had ever felt in her life, and more than she ever thought she could feel again, until the song ended and the lights came back on.

He walked her over to the table, helped her into her coat, and pulled a long shallow box out of the inside pocket of his blazer. It looked like jewelry, a necklace or something of the sort was her best guess.

"I got you something," he said quietly, sitting her down as the clean-up crew was beginning to bustle about. "And I saved it until now, because, well, I didn't want it to ruin our evening. I'll understand if you don't want it..." he was rambling now trying to put off what seemed like an inevitable refusal. "But if you do...I'd be the happiest man in the world."

Nikki was a little confused as she peeled away wrapping paper. She wondered how a necklace would make or break their relationship. Rizzo was kneeling on the floor besides her chair and the sight was enough to bring Jack and Lola over.

She opened the box to find something totally unexpected: a one way plane ticket to Boston. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked into his expectant brown eyes.

_Please come to Boston  
For the springtime  
I'm staying here with some friends  
And they've got lots of room  
You can sell your paintings on the sidewalk  
By a cafe where I hope to be working soon  
Please come to Boston  
She said no, boy you come home to me  
_

"What is this?" she asked him nervously.

"It's a plane ticket," he explained simply. "I want you to come home with me."

"You want me to move to Boston?" She asked. He nodded eagerly. "You mean move in with you."

_She said, hey ramblin' boy  
Why don't you settle down  
Boston ain't your kind of town  
There ain't no gold  
And there ain't nobody like me  
I'm the number one fan  
Of the man from Tennessee  
_

"Yea," he went on explaining factually. "I'm renting this two bedroom flat, in this really nice neighborhood—not far from Boston U, above this little old lady, she's half deaf—we can even throw parties."

"You want me to move into a party house," she gapped. "I mean I'm going to be a student and I'm not exactly—"

"No what I mean is, it's a nice place...and having you there is the only way it could be better," he defended. Nikki shook her head.

"I don't know," she said uneasily. "It does seem nice, but there are so many things that could go wrong with it."

_Please come to Denver  
To see the snowfall  
We'll move up into the mountains  
So far we can't be found  
And throw I love you echoes  
Down the canyons  
And then lie awake at night  
Until they come back around  
Please come to Denver  
She said no boy you come home to me_

"Nicolette," Lola sounded behind her. "How many times do I have to tell you if you find a good guy, with a heart of gold and a smile that lights up the room you hold on and you don't let go for anything."

"You've never told me that," Nikki said.

"Well I'm telling you now," Lola put forth forcefully. Nikki shook her head and smile.

"Why not," she said. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"What's the best that could happen," Rizzo corrected her.

"I could find a hundred reasons to fall in love with you all over again," she answered him thoughtfully.

"And isn't that worth the risk?" He questioned. She nodded.

"Yea, it is."

_She said, hey ramblin' boy  
Why don't you settle down  
Denver ain't your kind of town  
There ain't no gold  
And there ain't nobody like me  
I'm the number one fan  
Of the man from Tennessee_

Lola smiled happily, now that had all the makings of a great romance novel, now here came the soap opera.

_Now that drifter's world  
Goes round and round  
And I doubt if it's ever gonna stop  
But of all the dreams  
He's lost or found  
And all that I ain't got  
I need somebody I can cling to  
Somebody he can sing to_

"She said yes," Lola told Jack. "You know what that means."

"What?" he asked indifferently.

"I'm coming home with you."

"What?" he gapped. "Why's that mean—"

"You think I'd let my best friend fly solo on this one," Lola replied. "Besides, a baby has to have a father."

"I don't intend to have any kids just yet," he protested plainly.

"Well it's a little late for that," she cooed mysteriously. Jack's face froze as he looked over to her in utter amazement.

"Are you **_f#king_** me!?" He shouted. She shook her head. "What the hell! Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"I wanted to tell you face to face," she said. "So when you told me that you didn't love me I would know you were lying."

_He said please come to L.A.  
To live forever  
A California life alone  
Is just too hard to build  
I live in a house that  
Looks out over the ocean  
And there's some stars  
That fell from the sky  
Living up on the hill  
Please come to L.A.  
I just said no  
Boy, you come home to me  
_

"I don't love you," he shot. "Love is a myth guys made up to get into girls' pants."

"You do love me." She answered. "And I love you, and we're strong. I know we can make this work. Maybe not like that—" She looked back at Nikki and Rizzo, she was hugging him happily and laughing lightly at his comments. "But we're going to do fine."

_She said, hey ramblin' boy  
Why don't you settle down  
L.A. ain't your kind of town  
There ain't no gold  
And there ain't nobody like me  
I'm the number one fan  
Of the man from Tennessee  
  
I'm the number one fan  
of the man from Tennessee (2)_

"No kidding?" He repeated. She shook her head again.

"Ready or not."

**THE END**

* * *

But never fear...we've established there's a sequel, but I do hope this will satisfy for a while, maybe a week, but not much more.

* * *

1 _I Give In_ Lyrics, Sara Evans

2 Kenny Chesney, _Please Come to Boston_, It just felt right okay?


End file.
